It Is Hard To Be Me
by MJ1Hawk
Summary: This is a continuation of two parts before it; "You Are All I Have Ever Dreamed Of" and "We Will Make It Somehow". It's all about Carol and Jessica's son Gerry. This is just a portion of his life, but these late teenage decisions are some of the most important he'll ever make.
1. Struggles

Hey. How's it hangin'? Heh. I'm Spider-Man. Kinda. I'm more of a Captain Marvel. But not yet. Ma's always up my ass about responsibility and all that. Preachin' at me like Uncle Pete! I swear…. It's a confusing time. I'm in high school, _sort _of into girls… but then people bug me about havin' two Mom's all the time so girls like _automatically _think I'm gay. I dunno what I am dude, I'm seventeen! (SUMMARY)

**6:32 PM**

Gerry's brain won't stop letting thoughts roll around his head like a huge bowling ball. He's been staring at his ceiling that's had the same crack in it since he was nine when threw a replica of Thor's hammer at it on 'accident'. His room is covered with posters of skateboarders he idolizes more than superheroes, unlike everyone else he knows. However, he does have _one _small poster of Hawkeye by his bed. His Mom doesn't approve, even if it's Kate Bishop and not Clint Barton. The dim sun from outside shines through his crooked miniblinds, and the fall leaves tap his window again and again.

Loud music blasts through his ears, and he smirks, thinking about how if his Ma heard just how loud they are, she'd probably start yelling. Then he frowns, thinking about Carol tends to make him do that as of late. His eyes zoom over to the five social media pages he has up at once on his desktop. _I'm sure they all got somethin' to do with Ma, too. _

_Beep Beep. _

Gerry clicks his phone open and smiles a bit. The text from Annie says,

"Hey. I'm at Love Park. Come over here already."

"I guessssssssss." Gerry smirks when he sees that her next text is a pissed off cat face.

A weird thumping started shaking his closet door, and Gerry pulls the earbuds from his ears and sits up on his messy bed.

"Um…" Gerry's eyes widen and he chucks his phone behind him. _HISSSS_! "Oh God!" He jumps off the bed and almost falls into the door, tripping over his own big sockless foot. He braces the door then swings it open.

"MRWW!"

"Ugh _Chewie_, you dick. Stop doin' that! It's creepy shit and I hate it." Chewie whacks his toe and paws at his door. He sighs and opens it.

"Hey kiddo." Gerry jumps, and Carol still towers over him and he shrugs embarrassedly.

"Uh. Hi." Chewie brushes between his bare legs and slowly, like the old girl she is, nudges Carol, who lifts her with a tired smile.

"I was just gonna ask if you wanted to come with me to practice yo—"

"—_No_. Again." Gerry rolls his eyes and itches his leg over his baggy red and black flannel shorts. "Stop asking. _Please._"

"Oh _come _on. You're old enough to—"

"—Make my own decis—"

"—_Stop_." Carol frustratedly taps her foot and lets Chewie down. "You're doing your bratty teenager thing. It's not a cute look." Gerry grits his teeth and the glass doorknob he's holding onto groans. _Ccr. _

"It's not a _bratty teenager _thing, it's how _I feel_." _Crrrrr_. Carol rolls her eyes and runs her hand over her neck, scratching slightly through her shoulder-length hair.

"I wish you'd just realize you have so much potential to be _so _great, Gerry. If you'd just let _me HELP_—"

"I. Don't. Want. Your. Help!" _CRR—DSH! _The glass handle shatters in his hand and shards explode everywhere. Both he and Carol look at it with aggravation sitting heavy on their brows. _WHOOSH! _Carol flies and within a blink she's cleaned it up with a dirty green dustpan she got from the kitchen. Gerry huffs and whips open his closet, pulling a loose plastic drawer open and shoving his feet into socks with holes on the heels. Carol stops what she's doing and stands up, knee popping, and looks at him with bored and narrow eyes.

"Storming out again?" Gerry says nothing, biting the inside of his cheek. He brushes her shoulder and stomps out of the room. Carol follows hot on his heels. Within the fifth year of having Gerry, Jessica and Carol moved to Upper Manhattan and got a bigger apartment by just one room. Jessica still gets a kick out of remembering seeing Carol pale at the price. The whole apartment was like an L shape, with the longest part being the stretch of three doors; first Jessica and Carol's room, then the bathroom, and at the very end, Gerry's room. The kitchen and living room were connected just like the last apartment. Gerry always hated the walk to the exit, especially when Carol's angry heat burned the back of his neck. The TV was mumbling some nonsense and Gerry breathed hard.

"Mom! Can you tell her to leave me alone for _once_?!" The familiar sigh and a click of the TV makes Carol even more frustrated.

"Jessica. _Please. _Back me up this time." Gerry and Carol stumble into the living room and cross their arms over their chests refusing to make eye contact with one another. Jessica takes a sip of her hot peppermint tea and looks at them over the back of the couch.

"Gerry. I understand you have feelings, but so does she. And _Carol, _we talked about this. If he decides to leave, let him. You're both one in the same... and a bloody pain in my neck."

"What the hell kind of—" Carol throws her head back and Gerry does the same thing.

"MOM! PLEASE. I told you both I don't _WANNA _be a _damn _'hero'! What don't you get?!" Gerry feels like his back is burning up through his oversized red and white baseball tee. His hands starts feeling a familiar current of electricity shock his fingertips and he shoves his hands in his pockets.

"Come here, love." Jessica pats the spot next to her on the three seater she's sitting in the middle of. Gerry's shoulders drop and he shuffles over. _Bff, _the couch cushion groans. Jessica runs her hand over his strong shoulder blades and he leans into the touch. Carol leans over the couch, folding her hands together and resting her chin on Jessica's shoulder. "Look. You're _just _like her." Gerry's lip stiffens. "And you seem to be in that _lovely _stage where you think anything related to your parents is bullocks. You'll be out of that in no time once you realize who we are."

"Man I _know _who you are. That's the _problem. _I literally can't talk to anyone without them spitting out shit about you two. _Especially _Ma." He looks at her with disdain clear on his face and Carol sucks in a breath.

"Gerry. Don't be disrespectful."

"I ain't bein' di—Whatever. Sorry." Gerry looks at his feet and frowns. "Look it just sucks. N' to think that one day you wanna push that stuff on ME? There's no way. I hate the attention it brings, Ma."

"Then they don't have to know it's you. Wear a mask like Peter."

"Uncle Pete was the _first _spider. There was no legacy garbage. Everyone _knows _I'm _your _kid. I'm either gonna be a Spider-Man or a Cap. N' I don't wanna be."

"Well," Jessica slaps her own thigh, "You don't have to be either of those things. You can just be Gerry." Carol lifts her head and raises a brow. Gerry looks at her just as confused.

"R-really?"

"Of course." Jessica smiles slightly and taps her finger against his nose that looks identical to hers. "That is, until you start feeling a specific sort of tingle." Carol and Gerry look at each other and silently think, _the hell is she saying? _Jessica throws her hands up. "Spider-sense. Fools."

"That was not… obvious. Like at all." Carol sniffs back a laugh.

"Shut up," Jessica flails a hand behind her and smacks Carol's left bicep. "I'm saying sooner or later you're gonna feel _something _about being… super. It's unavoidable. You'll see someone in trouble and it's an instinct. You _have _to act. It's a compulsion. And it's not a bad one to have." Gerry doesn't say anything, he just stares at his parents with a sudden uneasiness.

"Look I just… ain't ready yet," Gerry mumbles. Carol looks down at her feet and Jessica turns her body to look at Carol.

"Carol."

"Hmm."

"Your turn," she says impatiently. Carol's lips bunch up on one side and she walks over to the couch. _Bff. _She folds her calloused hands together in her lap and wracks her brain to think of the right thing to say.

"...Sorry kiddo." She and Gerry drop their head at the same time. "I know the name Captain Marvel has some heavy connotations, and I know stuff isn't easy for you at school n' work, but really. I'm not doing this to _punish_ you. It's cuz I seriously _love _you." Carol looks at him even though his eyes are looking everywhere else in the room but her. "I think you'd be a great Captain Marvel when you _want_ to be."

"When I _wanna _be…." Gerry looks at her then looks away again. Her gaze is too intense and it makes him more nervous than it should.

"Mrrw." Chewie hops on his lap and he pets her idly. The four sit in silence for a few moments. "Hhh!" Chewie's eyes widen and her tongue hangs out for a second before going back in. Gerry's eyes water and he stops petting.

"Dammit," Jessica gently takes Chewie from his lap and puts her on her own. Chewie makes the noise again. "Come on old girl. Let it pass."

Gerry looks away, turning his whole body in the opposite direction and gripping the side of the couch tightly. Carol rubs Chewie's head while Jessica rubs her back. She makes one more noise then it stops. Jessica sighs in relief and looks at Carol who gives her the same look back. _Thank you, _they both think. Gerry gets up abruptly and starts putting his torn up Vans slip-on pros. He sniffs and Carol stands up, but she hesitates to walk over.

"When are you comin' back?" Gerry sniffs again and shrugs, opening the small closet that barely fits five coats and pulls out his skateboard.

"Probably going to see Annie." Carol nods, not giving him any affection like she feels like she should be right now. He pulls open the front door and gives a quick, "bye," before running down the seven flights of stairs and onto the busy streets of NYC.

….

Carol's hands hang limply at her sides and she watches Jessica comforting Chewie.

….

"She's not gonna be around too much longer."

"Don't make me cry, Jess." Carol sniffs just like Gerry did and rubs her nose. "We're getting old too. Where the fuck did the time go?" She chuckles without humor and rubs her chest through her suit she didn't change out of. "I'm turning fifty in a month. _A MONTH. _That's kind of terrifying." Chewie hops off and waddles her way to her bedazzled food bowl. Jessica stands up and hugs Carol from behind, pressing her forehead against her upper back and squeezing hard.

"Well at least we get to be old together, yes?"

"Heh." Carol leans her head back, feeling the top of Jessica's head against her own. "At least I'm not old enough to lose my sex drive, right?"

"Oh of _course _not. How could we have that?" Jessica slaps Carol's backside playful and Carol gives her an annoyed look. "Stop acting like you don't love that."

"I really don't. _You're _the one that likes that." Jessica smirks at Carol's words and gets on her toes, spinning Carol to face her.

"You know what I'd like now?" Carol eyes her. "A really really _really _hot foot rub." Carol groans.

"Nothing good as usual." Carol lightly pushes Jessica back with a small grin on her face. Jessica claps her hands together.

"I don't hear any complaining." She jumps on the couch and sticks her perfectly manicured foot in the air. "Come. You never know what kind of _reward _you'll get." Carol unashamedly pounces Jessica and starts going to town, rubbing, kneading, and tugging Jessica's foot. "Eager aren't we?"

"_Yes,_" Carol breathes with eyes rolling in the back of her head at the thought of getting something more out of this. She cracks each of Jessica's toes and then a lightbulb goes off. "Hey… Gerry's not home right now." Jessica sits upright and her eyes shine. "So… we should…"

"On every bloody piece of furniture." Carol moans and attacks Jessica's mouth with her own, gripping her hips roughly. "Mmmgf!" Jessica kisses back just as hard, and they have some of the best sex they've ever had together that night.

**7:21 PM**

"My dawg!" Gerry pops his board up, grabbing it easily, and pretends to shoot gang signs at Annie who's standing on her board right in front of the LOVE sign.

"My home-slice-home-skillet-home-biscuit!" She starts popping gang signs also, earning them both dirty looks by tourists, but totally ignoring it, bumping fists.

"How's Uncle Pete and Aunt MJ?" Gerry asks. Annie shrugs and steps off her board, kicking it on it's side.

"I just did my typical teenager thing and stormed out." She shrugs and plays with her curly red hair that's tied in a tight ponytail.

"Same." Gerry puts a hand in his pocket and they stand in silence for a moment until he whips out his phone with a glint highlighting his eye. "Yo… I found some good ass porn yesterday though." Annie smirks and pulls her phone out of her beat up jeans.

"Oh. Me too." They snicker and pull it up quick, flipping their phones around at the same second and gasping. "GOD. DAMN!"

"Wowww!" They stare at the pictures and their eyes twitch. "Look at those hips dude."

"Right?" Annie taps her screen a few times and waves her hand. "And it has been sent."

"Yesss!" Gerry excitedly opens his phone and saves it, shaking his leg. "Girls are hot."

"Indeed." Annie stares at the picture Gerry sent of an anime girl straddling a motorcycle totally naked and closes her eyes to stop the shivering. "Indeed they are." Gerry throws his board down and points at the five stair with the square rail that a buncha homeless people are usually shoving Burger King wrappers into their faces to scare them off.

"Yo no one's there right now. Let's fuckin' _DO_ it. Show me that tre-flip, and backside 5-0." Annie kicks her board up and starts riding over.

"You know I will." And she does. Three times in a row.

"...Fuckin' show off," Gerry mumbles.

"Hey. _Fuck _you."

"FUCK you! Asswipe." Gerry flips her off and she flips one back, making them both grin. She walks over to him where he's sitting on the stairs she just annihilated and sits down next to him, legs closed together tightly.

"How's stuff with Aunt Carol?" Gerry _tsks _and rubs his head. "I dunno. It's better I guess. Mom helped a little. But then uh, Chewie started um," Gerry looks away at nothing, waving his hand like that finished his words for him.

"Say it. It's alright."

"Same thing as before," he says with slight irritation, "Cat's fucked." His tone is rough and some take it as insensitive, but Annie knows better. She pats his knee and makes eye contact when he doesn't.

"There's still some time left."

"Y-yeah." He itches his hair that's fluffier on the top and shaved on the sides. Last month he dyed it black, and a small part of him knows it was just to dissociate from Carol a little, if even slightly. Now he looked more like Jessica who he tends to favor right now. His eyes are just like Jessica's too, a dark green, and he always liked having her nose as well as the sharp browline she has. He looks at Annie who looks so much like her Mom that it's almost impossible to see it as otherwise. The only difference is that her eyes are big and brown like Peter's.

"It sucks but, when she _is _gone, it's not like you'll forget her." Gerry looks down and picks at his shorts.

"I don't wanna—"

"—Ok buddy." Annie pats him roughly on the shoulder and stands up. "Whoever gets to Taco Loco faster has to pay!" She giggles and starts skating aggressively away.

"H-hey!" Gerry curses and hops on his board, narrowly avoiding a huge crack in the concrete. He starts gaining speed and Annie throws a balled up napkin at him, whacking his eyeball. He smiles and thinks to himself, _sometimes... sometimes it ain't all bad. _

**END NOTE: This here is totally a story that's just all from my own head. It isn't based on much of the real comics and is more focused on the two parts I wrote before it. I hope you find it enjoyable nonetheless, and thank you for reading. **


	2. The Start

**11:02 AM**

_Knock KNOCK! _

Gerry squints and sees his own ceiling again. He lifts his head then drops it back into the flattened pillow; his drool's soaking it.

He hears Jessica's voice at his door, "Gerry, it's late. Can you help me get some groceries?" Gerry huffs and sits up, only noticing the seven inch tent that's making his black sheets stand up around his waist.

"_Ahhh_!" He shuts his eyes. _Nope. Not happening. _

"_Gerry_. Come on." Jessica knocks her knuckles against the door and he hears her shift.

"UH! Hey. Yeah. I'll be out. In like…" he stares at his waist again. "Twenty minutes."

"Fine." Her footsteps sound lighter and lighter and then he whips the sheets off himself.

"Phew!" He laughs awkwardly and stands up, feeling weird looking down and seeing his silky red sleep shorts so tight against it. He sits back down and mumbles nothing of importance into the air as he scrolls through his stash of photos. He sees one of a hot anime character he likes and pauses on it, reaching into his pants and gripping himself. _Nnrggg. This feels weird knowing my fuckin' Mom's waiting for me. _He stares at her chest and imagines what it'd be like sucking on them. "Hh, _damn_." He starts moving his hand and gripping a bit tighter. Then the worst thing ever happens, and a text from Annie pops up while he's—

"Yo."

He sighs and doesn't respond, continuing his motions, pressing his thumb harder against the head of—

"YOOOOO."

He closes his eyes and takes a breath, pulling his hand out of his pants and using it to type a passive-aggressive,

"Uh-huh?"

Annie responds quick.

"Just wanted to see how stuff was goin' from when you got home." Gerry scratches his bare chest and regrets his previous statement.

"Yeah. Sorry. They were asleep. Well, 'asleep' I bet." He smirks at his own text and shakes his head, cracking his toe on the floor.

"Yiiiiikes. Don't make me think of Aunt Carol going down on your Mommmm!" Gerry laughs into the messy room.

"Everybody's gotta nut. Speaking of nut…" Gerry hopes it's clear.

"Ahhh I see. Have fun with that bud." Gerry breathes in hard and swipes up, closing his texts. He opens a new picture and tries to get back to it. _My favorite. Anime version of Hawkeye! YES! _A few minutes go by and—

_Knock knock. _

"Love," comes the impatient accent, "Let's _go_!" Gerry drops his head back and holds back a loud groan.

"FINE!" He gets up, leaving himself half hard, and wears tight boxers with some loose black jeans that have rips on his knees. He throws a dark blue flannel shirt on that was crumpled up on the floor and shoves his _My Hero Academia _Bakugo wallet in his front pocket. He storms out of his room and swings the bathroom door open, knocking it against the tiled-wall, and starts struggling to pee right. He slicks his hair back and walks into the kitchen to see his parents kissing between sips of that gross hazel-nut coffee his Mom likes.

"Ew." He looks away and puts his only pair of shoes on. Carol takes another sip of coffee and Jessica waves him off.

"One day you'll have a partner and you won't be saying that."

"I am _never _getting a girlfriend at this rate." He leans against the door with a sigh and watches Carol gulp down her coffee, wincing at the amount of sugar, and he smiles just a little. "Everyone thinks I'm a faggot."

"Oof," Carol shakes her head. "Don't say that word."

"That's exactly how they say it to me, man." Carol opens her mouth but Jessica hits her knee.

"You're seventeen." Jessica throws her cup in the sink harshly and Carol tsks at her. "You've got time." Jessica opens the closet and takes out her heeled boots and vinyl black jacket. "Wanna get a lesson today?" Gerry stands straighter, a smile creeping up on his face.

"_S-seriously_?" Jessica smiles and shakes her head yes, handing him the keys to her new Harley she got three years back. Gerry jumps up and pumps the air, swinging the door open. Carol watches quietly with a smile and rubs her aching shoulder muscles. Gerry hugs Jessica tightly with one arm before sprinting out the door.

"See you soon." Jessica blows Carol a kiss and shuts the door.

…_._

_Sigh. _Carol slouches in her seat.

"Yeah. See you." Carol wryly looks back at the door. _Can't help but feel like he's only going cuz it's her and not me. _She sighs again and starts thinking back to how just a year ago it seemed like he couldn't get enough of hanging out with her. Now it seems that Jessica is the only one he connects with. Carol stands up and gets ready to check in with the Avengers.

**Ten Minutes Later**

"Don't drag your feet on a stop unless you must. Slowly ride it out by walking with the bike until it stops." Gerry does so, and it's a lot smoother than any attempts before. Jessica pats his back with the hand that isn't holding his side, and hums in approval.

"Can we hit the turnpike sometime? I wanna go faster." The streets were already starting to get busy, and traffic was slowing down considerably.

"When you're a tad better." The wind blows their hair around, and Jessica spits out hair that continuously makes its way into her mouth. " Maybe one day I'll take you out to where I rode with Ghost Rider himself." Gerry turns around in surprise and gets beeped at when he misses the light by half of a second.

"_YOU MET GHOST RIDER?!_"

"I did. Quite a few years back. Good guy."

"Like the one with the Charger, or the one with the bike?"

"Bike."

"That's sick."

"It was." Gerry smirks, hearing his Mom classify something as 'sick'.

"You're a cool lady," he says quietly.

"And you're a cool boy… Most likely."

"Whaddya mean 'most likely'? I'm the coolest dude there is."

"Sure," she answers sarcastically. He frowns and steps on her suede shoe at the next light. "Wow. You deserve a spanking for that."

"...Save that for Ma."

"Gerry!" Jessica slaps his shoulder but they both laugh anyway. "So inappropriate. She's gonna somehow hear that and get us both."

"I'd like to see her try. You'd win if there was some kind of battle between moms, you know?"

"Highly doubt it. Have you seen her abs?"

"Unfortunately…" Gerry looks down at where his own are and he's only got a four instead of six like Carol. _Show off. _

_BEEEEEP! BEEEEEEP! _The car next to them lowers it's window and an overweight thirty-year-old nearly falls out of the window drooling.

"Woah. You are HOT!" He eyes up Jessica like she's a fifty-foot Hustler ad on the side of a building and Gerry kicks a dent into the side of his rusty and dinged up car.

"Shut the hell up!" Gerry barks. The guy looks at him like he didn't even notice he was there in the first place and flips him off.

"Hey fuck y—"

Jessica kicks a dent into his car next to Gerry's and the guy's mouth hangs agape.

"Bugger off. Thanks." Jessica waves in a sassy way that makes her shoulder bounce and Gerry zooms in front of his car and just makes it through the yellow, taking the last street to get to their closest grocery store.

"I hate that shit." Gerry revs the engine loudly and speeds up considerably. "Like why do people think they can just say that stuff? I fuckin' hate guys like that." Jessica ignores his vulgarity and in a nonchalant way, spouts off,

"Been like that for the longest time."

"It _shouldn't _be Mom!" Gerry cuts in front of someone to Jessica's dismay but safely lands them a tight parking spot next to an alley reeking of soiled fish. Jessica hops off the bike and Gerry does too, a rigidness to his frame.

"And this is why I'm glad you're a boy. Less likely to have such things happen to you."

"Sucks you have to even _think _that." Jessica leads him into the two-floor store and he grabs a shopping basket, following her every step. He looks around and some people notice who they are but others don't. He's just glad no one tries approaching them this time. _Yo where's the eye-candy though? Like, it's NEW YORK! Where are the hot girls? _Gerry's already filled half the basket and still, no women in sight. _I guess it's ironic that I was just defendin' girls n' now I'm BEGGIN' to see some. _

"Ahem," a woman's deeper voice grunts from behind, and both he and Jessica turn around. "Hey Jess." Gerry's eyes widen to the point they might actually pop out of his head and he stumbles back realizing she's only a few inches away. Jessica looks at him with a knowing grin and pulls him next to her.

"Kate. Long time." _OH MY GOD. DUDE TH-THAT'S KATE BISHOP. THAT'S HAWKEYE! _His heart starts thumping so hard that his fingers start to tingle and his throat vibrates.

"It has been." Each word Kate says has a sensual quality to it that makes Gerry shiver. His eyes are glued to her breasts that even in her mid-thirties, look just like they did in those Playboy magazines Gerry has saved in his closet under a pile of skate tools. He went to four used books stores to find them in print. He feels his mouth salivate at the thought of those pictures. Even if they weren't full nude, _it didn't fuckin' matter. Hawkeye is hotttttt. _He feels his pants get tighter in a very specific way and his cheeks get hot. Kate seems to notice and she smiles in the sexiest way possible with teeth barely showing. "Your boy really grew up." Kate's eyes lower and _is she looking at me… SHE IS! _He somehow gets redder and he looks away in embarrassment.

"Seventeen," Jessica cuts in sharply. "_Only_ seventeen, Kate."

"Mmm." Gerry looks at her again and she's still eyeing him up. "Well, I just figured I'd say hi since it's been so long. You two have fun."

"Always a pleasure," Jessica smiles at her and waves, but as soon as she turns around she whispers, "Wanker." Gerry's still standing stock-still and staring at Kate's smaller but perfect backside in her tight black and white checkered pants.

"Ah!" His Mom pulls him by his collar, and the groceries in the basket all tumble over each other.

"Be good. She's not for you."

"How could she _not _be she's ho—_ahhhh—_I said that out loud!" Gerry covers his face.

"Look I know what it's like to be impulsive and _virginal_—"

"—Oh no." Gerry gets red for a whole other reason than before. A grandma walking by snickers at what she heard, leaving Gerry even more awkward. Jessica laughs at him and he gets that pouty face Carol gives her and Jessica can't help but laugh more. Gerry feels a spike of pain in his groin. "I gotta pee. I'll meet you up front." His Mom takes the basket but lifts a finger up.

"We're going to talk about this later."

"Ehhhhh," he throws his hands up and seeks out the nearest bathroom. There's only one bathroom in the place and a group of five guys are standing in front of it. _Guess this is the line. _He leans against the wall then quickly pushes off, realizing wet pink gum was just an inch from touching his ear. He gags.

"Dude, it's been a while. You think she's uh, you know…." The guy moves two fingers in the air like a corkscrew, and Gerry raises a brow, listening closer.

"Shh. She's gonna hear you dumbasses."

"Yeah." The guys all jump hearing a woman's voice come through the door, and Gerry gets a serious look on his face. "If you idiots don't back away from this door—"

"—Then I'm gonna kick all of your asses straight outta the window," Gerry finishes with his fists clenched. The guys look at him and stare.

….

"HAHAHA!" One really tall guy looks down at Gerry and gets spit on his forehead.

"A twit like you? I think not."

"No. I'm the one who thinks not." Just like his Mom, Gerry has pheromones that can scare the pants off of anyone he wants to. It's working right now. The five guys group up together and stay tight against the wall. Gerry takes a hard step closer and the men start running.

"S-sorry dude!" Gerry sucks his teeth and knocks on the door.

"Hi. You can come out now." The door opens and Gerry takes a surprised step back. "M-Ms. Bishop?" Kate pops her head out the door and grabs Gerry's sleeve, pulling him into the graffiti covered room with only one toilet and a small leaking sink. Gerry stands in the center of the bathroom with his hands awkwardly wringing together. Kate locks the door and looks at him with a smile he's not used to seeing in any of her pictures or even that brief, _yet super hot, _meeting they had a few minutes ago. Her eyes seems softer, and somehow, he notices she's carrying herself differently, rubbing her forearm.

"Where's the confident boy I heard a minute ago?" Gerry looks at her with his mouth open slightly, his jaw twitches.

"S-sorry."

"Don't be." Kate steps closer, standing an inch taller than him with her purple pumps on. "Don't be nervous either." Kate pats his shoulder and Gerry jerks a bit. _Oh God. She touched me. I can never wash this shirt again. _"Thank you." Gerry nods and she gives him an expectant look.

"Oh. Um. Yes. No problem, Miss."

"Ah, Miss-smish. None of that. Just Kate." She holds her hand out. "Gimme your phone." Gerry does so without thought. "Unlock it." Gerry fumbles for it and does so, dropping it into her hand in a way that doesn't allow their hands to touch even a little.

_Tap tap tap tap._

"What're ya doin'?" He watches her face instead of the phone she could be doing anything on. Suddenly he remembers that her picture is his background and he gasps loudly, snatching the phone abruptly. "S-sorry! My nudes are in there you see n' I— agh." He slaps his hand against his forehead and Kate half-laughs. _Why is that the response I came up with? I'M TOO INSECURE TO HAVE NUDES!_

"I wasn't looking sweetheart. Even though I wouldn't _mind_ seeing that." Gerry gets red all over again. "I was adding my number. Text me if you ever need help." Kate walks toward the graffitied door again, making an icky face when her hand touches the dirty knob.

"Why?"

"You helped me, so I help you." Kate waves and closes the door again. He stands there looking at her number for a good five minutes before someone knocks.

"Hey you done in there?"

"One sex—I mean SEC!" Gerry rolls his eyes at himself and unzips his fly.

He runs down the escalator spitting out fake-sorrys when he knocks into people, and grabs his Mom's sleeve.

"Let's go!" Jessica looks at him oddly but quickly walks with him anyway. _I needa bust a nut. Now. _

**6:42 PM**

Gerry worked a miserable four hour shift at the Taco Bell under their apartment complex and hopped out of the shower noticing he got a text. _KATE! _Gerry takes a deep breath. _Find your chi mother fucker. _He grins and nods his head at himself in the mirror.

"Hey. This seems so weird. And _trust _me, I'm never the first one to text. But… I sort of have been thinking about you quite a bit. What do you say about that?" Gerry's eyes are so wide it hurts. He feels drool trickle over his lip and he closes his mouth, teeth clanking.

"Hi Ms. Bisho—" he erases that. _Too formal. _"Hi Kate. Um. Yeah I was um." Gerry groans and erases that too. _Come on! Think! _He taps his foot, setting his phone down. He pulls his sleeping shorts on, leaving his shirt off for now. He picks his phone up and calls up Annie.

_R-rrring. R-rrrring. _

"Hey buddy."

"Dude! Some stuff happened today."

"Oooh. Work drama?!"

"No!" Gerry yells then looks around as if his parents could hear. He turns the faucet on just in case they do hear something. "So Kate Bishop gave me her phone number." Annie starts coughing on the other line and he hears his Uncle ask if Annie's ok.

"Y-yeah! Be right back!" He listens to her heavy feet sprint into her room and slam the door. "UM WHAT?!"

"Yeah! And now she texted me saying she's thinkin' about me. The _FUCK _do I do?!"

"Get in!" He imagines she's excitedly flailing her hand around and probably knocking something over on her desk. "This is the goal! This is like the only girl you're into!" Gerry sits on the big bathroom counter and kicks his feet out.

"Yes but she ain't a _girl, _she's a grown ass lady. 'Sides… I'm like a total fuckin' virgin. I ain't even gotten a kiss." Gerry hisses the last part out. _Which I would admit to no one BUT Annie. Guess knowin' someone your whole life does that to ya. _

"Well that'd be so hot if that one girl you always want is your first for something." Gerry tilts his head and rests his chin on his shoulder.

"But this ain't a porno. It doesn't work out that great I bet." Annie huffs in response to Gerry's doubts.

"But it _could_! I mean. Who cares about age anyway. All of that's bullshit."

"Arghhhh, your liberal-ness is dangerous right now. Just tell me straight. What do I do?!"

"Gerry. Breathe." Gerry stops his quick paced breaths and replaces them with slower ones. "You text her saying you're thinking about her too, and then you say something about meeting up sometime. Then you fucking go to your room, play a game, and sleep it off. Tomorrow's a new day." Gerry bites his tongue and rubs his neck. The misty room starts to clear up and he feels less hot overall.

"You're right. Thanks man," Gerry says softly.

"Of course. I'll be here afterward. Just gimme an hour. Dad n' I have bowling soon."

"Nerds." Gerry smiles, thinking of all those times Uncle Pete made him bowl in VR. _That guy's somethin'. _

"You know it. See you later."

"Bye." He drops his phone to his lap and quietly builds the courage to lift it again. The phone feels like a stack of twenty bricks once he unlocks it and starts typing.

"I've been thinking about you as well Kate. Maybe we should meet up sometime soon?"

_Zwoop. _

Gerry's skin gets chilled and he gets goosebumps. _Can't believe I said that. _She replies immediately.

"Sounds good to me, cutie." His heart pounds in his ears.


	3. So, I Guess We Did A Thing

**11:47 AM **

_BRRRRREING! _Everyone in the old dusty and claustrophobic classroom gets out of their seats at once and rush toward the door. Annie and Gerry slouch in their seats, shoving their math homework in their cramped bags. Gerry's got a red bag with a Spider-Woman pin, and Annie has a blue bag with a Spider-Man patch on it. The nice thing about Annie's life is that no one knows that's actually her dad.

"Algebra and geometry. So funnnnnnn." Gerry looks at her with a dead face.

"Yup," he grunts. "Help me figure this crap out at lunch."

"Will do," Annie says, throwing her heavy bag over her shoulder. Gerry gets up and they walk into the hallways that smell like weed every second of each day. Annie covers her nose and Gerry continues walking with hands stuffed in his pockets and owning that bored expression on his face. "Hyt!" Annie twitches next to him, and Gerry looks over at her, concerned. She looks around, and some jerk steps on the heel of her all-white Converse. "Dick." He walks by like nothing, and she secretly sprays his heels with webbing.

"Ah!" He falls forward, landing on his girlfriend.

"You dumbass!" She crawls out from under him and gets up, flipping her hair in place and walking without him.

"Dude something's coming." Annie sniffs the air, ignoring the burning sensation of the weed going up her nose and irritating her eyes. Gerry moves them to the side and against one of the many small dark green lockers. "I-it's like. Alien?" Annie and Gerry's heads snap toward each other.

"FUCK! Venom!" They say at the same time.

_CRASHHH! RAAAAAAAAH! _Annie and him run in the direction of the noise against a current of panicked students who push against them like a school of pesky fish. It ended up being the inside of their Junior English class. The two are seniors now.

"Back away!" Her thin body is covering up another student in the corner of the room.

"Dammit. Schlesinger!" Annie looks at Gerry nervously and Venom's hulking body towers over the skinny teacher, spit trickling down his elongated face. "You've gotta go in there! They can't know I'm Spider-Girl!" Gerry hesitates for a second, rubbing his forehead. "Save the hot teacher, Gerry!"

"Y-yeah. Go change. I'll take care of your crazy Uncle for a second. Just don't fucking forget about me!"

"Wouldn't dream of it, bud!" Annie sprints in the direction of the bathroom and Gerry clears his throat loudly, entering the room with a clap of his hands and a cocky look on his face.

"Yo, come 'er!" Venom spins around and freezes when he sees Gerry's face. "Aw don't chicken out now! Let's go!"

"H-hang on! No, hurt ME not the kids!" Schlesinger's high pitched voice rings through their ears and Gerry shakes his head.

"Not happening. You were too cool of a teacher." Gerry lunges at Venom and knocks them through the window. _CRASH! _They freefall six floors, and during this, Venom ends up giving him a nice cut on the side of his face, dangerously close to his eye. "GAH! Ben _why _did you turn into such a _SKANK?!_" _DOOOSH! _Venom takes the impact, making very little noise, and Gerry hops off him, sticking to the side of the school building to make space. Loads of students are sprinting outside evacuating in a 'safe and respectful manner'. _Yeah fuckin' right. _Venom gets up slowly into a low crouch. "Ben are you still in there?! Don't let that thing consume you, dude!"

"Ggrrrr," Venom's back legs stretch and Gerry gets considerably nervous. "I'm too old now. This was all I could do." Venom's voice pops and crackles eerily, sounding similar to a snake.

"Uncle Pete's still going! He coulda made you a suit, dammit! You cou—"

"—Gerry stop talking to this jerk-head!" _SMACK! _Annie swings over the top of them and kicks Venom three blocks away. "He isn't worth a SECOND of pity." Gerry bites his lips and climbs after her while she swings to hit Venom again.

"Yooooo! IT'S SPIDER-GIRL!" Some woman yells below them and Annie waves at her with a small smile. Gerry rolls his eyes.

"What am I, chop liver?"

"Get a costume from my Dad."

"No way. Not after how many times he jizzed in there from late nights with your Mom."

"Disgusting, Gerry." Annie and him laugh despite the situation and Venom spits a string of acid at Annie. "OW!" Gerry snaps out of it and blasts him with volts of electric that's probably even stronger than his Mom's. The three of them are hoping back and forth between four mid-height skyscrapers like a bunch of pin balls. Gerry sees a bunch of flashes in one of the apartment windows he's standing on and puts his hand over his face.

"NO PHOTOS!" _CLICK! _"Ugh."

"Wooohoo! This is fun as hell!" Annie then gets totally pummeled and knocked into the side of a Chick-Fil-A billboard. "Oh. No more fun."

Venom managed to pin Annie under him and a bone pops painfully. "YAAH!" Gerry jumps across the distance of the buildings with his backpack _somehow _still on and starts pounding away at Venom's back.

"Dude fuck OFF of my sister!"

"That's cute!" She chokes between punches on her stomach. _THUNK! _A purple arrow misses Gerry's head by an inch and the three turn in it's direction.

"K-KATE!" The arrow she fired is firmly stuck in the brick and there's a long thin string tightly leading all the way next to her. She's a block away twelve stories up, and she hooks her arrow to it and comes flying toward them. "DUDE! LAURA CROFT IN THE FLESH!" Annie laughs and Venom aggravatedly flings her off the building, pushing Gerry away. "Yaaa!" Gerry's toes stick to the billboard catwalk and he zaps Venom in the head. _THUMP! _

"Get ready for this one—dick!" Hawkeye pulls her arrow back and in close range, with her heels hanging over the edge, and a thirty foot fall below, she fires an explosive bullet that shocks Venom into a crouch. "Better catch me, cutie!" Gerry's eyes widen as Kate falls backward with an elegance he could never muster. He trips over Venom's hand with a _YAAH! _and hops off the building, grabbing Kate and accidentally groping her backside. "Classy," she jokes.

"Dude I'm sorry?!"

"Sorry question mark?"

"Y-yeah-UM, I DON'T HAVE WEBS!"

"I know," she says with a shrug. She awkwardly pulls her arrow between their bodies that are tight together and Gerry blushes when it passes over his groin. _SHUCK! _Hawkeye quickly attaches an arrow to a further building and holds on tight. "You better hold on! I'm strong but not strong enough to hold a grown boy." Gerry does so quickly, hands sweating. They zip dangerously close to a huge truck stuck in traffic and their feet graze the top. The sound of a window rolling down is just barely audible over the wind blowing past their ears.

"HEY FUCK YOU!" Hawkeye flips him off and he continues shouting at them.

"Ok. Lift your feet." _DFF TPT. _Their feet scrape against the side of a tall building that's got pigeon poop every step they take, and Hawkeye leans against Gerry's chest. "Your turn. Climb us up to that window over there." She points three floors up and to the right, pulling her arrow out once Gerry safely has his hand sticking to the brown brick, and he has an arm holding her waist without letting his hand touch her. He grips the ledge of the already open window with the tips of his fingers and Kate hops in the window, her behind getting really close to his face.

"Phew…" he stands there, watching her drop her purple arrows and bow on a beat up black leather couch.

"You coming in?" Gerry swallows and pulls himself in, closing her large window behind him.

"A-are you uh, sure you want _me _in here?"

"Why? Do you stink?" She grins and pours a glass of water for them both in, of course, purple glasses.

"Heh." He rubs his neck and sits on the ledge of the window. "No I smell pretty great." He sprays himself religiously with Burberry every morning. Kate walks over with a sway of her wide hips and he looks down at his feet. _Don't stare at her in her own apartment. Don't stare at her in her own apartment. Don't st—_

"Here. I'll be back in one second. My dog's been locked in my room all day cuz she can't stop eating my fuckin' woven blanket." Gerry chuckles and cracks his knuckles, grabbing the glass from Kate's hand and brushing their fingers together. He jerks his hand back but she doesn't comment.

"Chewie ate a buncha my socks a few weeks ago."

"Dog?"

"Cat."

"Ah," Kate nods and walks around the corner. "Cats are lame!" Gerry huffs good-naturedly and swallows his water.

"No way! Dogs are!" He looks around her room that's got such a sixties aesthetic he could drown in it. _Doesn't she know it's the 2030's? _He notices the light purple beads hanging over her closet and smirks. _Guess it's kinda sick though. _A galloping noise rushes it's way toward him and a tall black dog with one blue eye and one brown, sprints toward him.

"Lucky the Second! Stop!" She does. "Sit." She does, but her paw still swats at his shoe.

"The second huh?" Gerry reaches out to pet her and she rolls over. "She's easy."

"Wow. Calling my dog loose?" Gerry laughs quietly and gets on his knees to rub Lucky's stomach.

"Maybe, heh." Lucky rocks her head back and forth on the polka dot rug, and her back legs jump a little.

"She must like you," Kate comments. She settles down next to Gerry on the rug with her legs crossed in front of her. "She didn't let me do that until a year in."

"How old is she?"

"Mmm," Kate licks her lips and Gerry looks the other way. _So hot. _"About five."

"Oh you got a lotta time."

"I do." Kate looks at him with a question on her lips. He notices and shrugs weakly.

"My cat's getting old."

….

Kate rubs his shoulder and he feels like the spot is lit up and tingling. _BING. BING. _Gerry drops his backpack and pulls his phone out the pocket with an Evangelion pin on it. _Rei's the best, dude. _He checks his phone and gets bombarded with angry all-caps texts.

"YO WHERE THE FUCK YOU IZ?!"

"Um. Inside Hawkeye's apartment."

"..."

"So…." Gerry taps while still petting Lucky.

"Dammit now I can't say no. EVEN IF YOU DID LEAVE ME WITH MY GROSS-ASS DAD CLONE GONE BAD!"

"I owe you…?"

"YES. YES YOU DO!"

"Big dick energy. Like you always say." Gerry laughs at his screen and imagines Annie is chuckling too. _She likes doing this hero crap anyway. Loves it, really. FWOOSH! _The sun was shining so brightly outside the window goes out and both Gerry and Kate look out to see Annie stuck against the glass holding two fingers up and sticking her tongue between them.

"Ugh you ass!" Gerry flips her off and she does the same back. "YO LOOK OUT!" He jumps up and Lucky rushes to the glass, jumping against it. Venom comes hurling toward her and the glass groans when Annie spins around and kicks him a block back. She turns to him again and through the glass he hears her say,

"Get some, homie!"

Gerry slaps his hand to his head and his body comes in on itself when he realizes Hawkeye's laughing at that from her spot on the floor. Gerry gulps down the last of his water.

"I'll um, put this in your sink." He offers to take hers and she stands up quickly, waving him off.

"No worries," she grabs his glass and sets hers and his down on the side table. She flops onto the couch and taps the space next to her.

"RUFF!" Lucky comes running and hops on the couch.

"Where are your manners? It was for him not you!" Lucky's ears drop and she gets off the couch, crawling under the table in the kitchen behind them. Her tail flops around grumpily. Gerry smiles and sits on the couch as far from Kate as possible. She tsks and shimmies a bit closer. Her thigh brushes his and he moves it just slightly.

"L-look um. I'm not like, uh. I'm not um." Gerry rubs his forehead and leans back against the couch with a sharp breath. "Sorry I'm nervous. It's lame I know." His knee bounces rapidly and Kate puts a hand on it to stop the annoying rattling it's making.

"Don't be. I'm sure you feel immature and probably kind of intimidated by a girl—let alone a _woman—_but trust me. I feel immature like… everyday."

"Really?" He doesn't push her hand off and instead lets it sit there.

"Mhm." Kate runs her thumb over his knee lightly. "Trust me. I know what it's like to always be underestimated." She looks at the picture sitting on her TV stand of her and Clint Barton standing side by side with bows in hand and she huffs. "I also know what it's like to be somebody's protege. It's stressful isn't it?" Gerry looks at her with surprise. "You didn't have to say it for me to know. Your Mom's Captain _fucking _Marvel."

"Spider-Woman's cooler," he says with a grunt. Kate lets go of his knee and he needily puts it toward her again. She gets the hint and chuckles, petting him again. _Feels so much better than it probably should, _he thinks.

"Speaking of—Jessica would _kill _me if she knew you were here." Gerry sits up and rubs his neck roughly.

"Crap. Yeah she would." He stands up slowly and throws his backpack over his shoulder. "I won't tell if you don't, heh."

"Point taken." Kate stands and in a bizarre moment, she looks at him with an uncertain look. Gerry's hand twitches and he puts it in his pocket. "So I'll see you around?"

"Yeah! Yeah, I _mean—ahem_. I uh. Go to school and stuff. N' I work at Taco Bell on 63rd. I live above it. Fabulous life." Kate smiles softly and rubs her arms.

"I mean. At least I feel welcome. They seem to like purple."

"I-I like purple too." He says it and then swallows jaggedly. _YOU TOOL! WHY THE F—_

"Oooh. Smooth talker." Gerry puts a hand through his gelled up hair.

"I try," he jokes. "A-anyway I should go. I work tonight actually. Four to close. If you come by, I can snag you a free Baja Blast frozen poison drink." Kate chuckles.

"Sounds good to me. I'll be there." Gerry's heart stops and he shuffles his way toward her window, pulling it open. "I gotta door you know?"

"Windows are what all the cool kids do these days."

"Uh-huh," she mumbled. Unconvinced. Gerry waves.

"See you, K-Kate."

"Bye." He already hopped out. _Shoop. _She closes the window and knocks her head against it. Lucky makes a worried cry. "What the fuck am I doing?"

**9:32 PM**

"Excuse me," comes a snobby business woman who cuts in front of two other guests in line, "Is it gonna be done anytime soon?" She sucks her teeth at Gerry who's standing on aching feet at the half-broken register.

"You ordered three minutes ago Miss. It takes about seven to ma—"

"—I DON'T HAVE SEVEN MINUTES!" She swings her Coach purse, _that's totally out of season, _and knocks a guy standing in line's arm. He says nothing which surprises Gerry immensely.

"Well you'll have to wait. Thanks." Gerry turns his head back to the guy in front of him. The woman starts shouting at no one, and of course, no other of the six employees try to help Gerry out. He huffs and mindlessly taps buttons.

_Where's Kate? Closing time is ten. _He stares at the clock on the bottom of the tablet and watches time tick by.

_DING DING. _The door opens and Gerry thoughtlessly spouts his usual,

"Welcome to Taco B— Kate!" He smiles to himself and then waves to a smelly co-worker behind him. "Yo take my spot."

"Guess so," he grunts and scratches his crusty beard that does him no favors. Gerry grabs the biggest cup possible and squirts a Mountain Dew frozen drink into it within seconds. _Df df. _The counter door swings and he rushes over to Kate who's sitting with legs crossed at a corner table, pushing her big circular glasses up her button nose. He pushes the drink over to her and sits in the tall sparkly purple chair next to her.

"Hey. Glad you came."

"I bet you were thinking about me," she says, sipping her straw. "Argh. Brain freeze." Gerry chuckles and rubs his hands over his black pants that he rolls at the cuffs which are probably covered in Doritos powder by this point of the night.

"I was not," he says unconvincingly. Kate looks at him with a small smile. "Maybe I was."

"Mmmm."

"Well it's hard not to when the only superhero crush you ever had i—" Gerry ducks his head. "Forget I said that." He taps his foot on the chair's hollow foot rest.

"Cute." Kate sucks her straw slower this time and smacks her lips. "Hey are you into bikes?"

"Motorcycles? Hell yeah I am. Mom lets me use her's a lot."

"Oh? Well I've got a Yamaha sitting outside. Wanna try it?" Gerry's eyes widen and he looks to where her thumb is pointing back at.

"HOLY CRAP! A Yamaha YZF—"

"—R1. Yep. Custom purple too." She laughs at the drool Gerry may as well be secreting.

"_I _can really drive it?" Kate nods. "I-I'm in love—and I can't believe I said that out loud." He shuts his eyes and drops his head back.

"You love the bike... Not me," Kate says quietly. He looks at her and notices another look he hasn't seen on her face before. _She looks… super lonely. _She clears her throat and puts on her skin tight motorcycle jacket that matches her bike perfectly. "When you get off, I'll be waiting outside for you." Gerry opens his mouth but his manager calls out behind him.

"Gerry you can go on. Pretty ladies don't tend to wait too long!" He turns and nods at his manager who's always been the only nice one to him in the place.

"You're the only pretty lady I need Ms. Abrahamsen." She shrugs it off and starts yelling at one of the other employees who didn't move quite fast enough for her liking. Gerry smirks and Kate presses a hand to his upper back.

"You heard her," Kate smiles at him, and with the shoes she's wearing, their eyes are at the same level, "Let's get going."

"Hey," he whispers at her, following close, "I lied about her being pretty. Y-you're the prettiest there is you know?" Kate smiles over her shoulder and Gerry feels his heart spasm in his neck.

"Good one." She pushes the door open and within seven more steps, she motions for Gerry to hop on.

"Oh my God _YES_." He jumps on, pumping the air, and Kate straddles the bike, wrapping her arms just below his chest. His heart is beating fast, and Kate can feel it through her jacket.

"Well this is the first time I've seen someone riding a motorcycle in a Taco Bell apron." Gerry laughs and turns the key, revving the engine.

"Hey. At least it's purple too."

"True." He revs it up one more time and she smiles, seeing how happy it's making him. "Wanna hit the turnpike?"

"Oh my God. Those are the golden words of _all _golden words."

"Go for it big guy." Gerry checks over his shoulder and very few cars are out right now. He speeds through the yellow and they set off toward Lower Manhattan.

"You drive pretty smooth for a kid."

"Yeah I got my motorcycle license a year back. Mom's been letting me ride for a while though."

"Jessica?"

"Yep." Gerry smiles into the breezy wind that's blowing through his hair and he smiles even more thinking about what it's gonna feel like flying through the Holland Tunnel. "Mom always took me out on bad days at school. Bad days meant pretty much everyday, but it always made me feel like a hundred times better. S-she's a cool lady."

"Sounds like it." Kate squeezes him a little tighter once they cross the awful intersection that leads into the tunnel and Gerry speeds up. "You can go up to eighty. I won't tell."

"Hoo, man. You are the coolest!" _VRRRM! _He refuses to slide in between cars, but he busts through that tunnel at a steady seventy-nine and comes out the other side, flying through those shady late night Jersey City streets. He slows down at a red, walking with the bike like his Mom told him just yesterday. He notices that Kate's hands are picking at his name tag on his left breast pocket. _Alright. Won't hurt to take one look at her. _He turns around slowly like some sort of scary creature is behind him in the dark, and he sees Kate with her glasses pushed up in messy black hair with her dark blue eyes shining in the street light. His mouth dries and she smiles at him softly. _THUMP-THUMP. _His chest literally aches.

"Hey."

"H-hey…" Gerry can't take his eyes away. Their faces are a few inches from one another and he watches her eyes soften and look down at his lips for just a moment. "You look um. You look really g-good."

"You too."

"_A-ahem_. But not just good you look really be—"

_BEEEEEP! _"_Sigh. _New York, man." He drives forward, incredibly distracted thinking about what they just said to each other. _Did I fuck that up? Probably. Ugh. Idiot. _

"Hey, pull over for a second." Gerry does so, realizing their at the peak of the bridge that connects Jersey to New York, and he puts the flashers on. "Climb us up." Gerry looks up at the tall metal works of the bridge and turns the bike off.

"Yeah. Ok." He jumps on the rail and a car beeps, panicking and thinking he's about to jump. "Cuz that's what you do when someone's on a small ledge. Beep and trip 'em up." Kate giggles and Gerry once again feels his heart flutter.

"You're a bit of a smart ass huh?" Kate takes his hand and holds onto his back. "I like that. I'm a smart ass too."

"Good to know." He climbs up easily, ignoring the heat of her body he can feel through his thin t-shirt, and sits down on an uncomfortable beam. She settles next to him, wrapping her arms around herself. _I wish I was those arms right now... so lame Danvers. _

"Beautiful out here. I've always wanted to do this." They stare at the water that's reflecting all the lights of New York in various zig-zag patterns. It's gotten darker earlier each day, and right now it's just about as dark as it can be in a city with a million lights. Out of the corner of his eye, Gerry peeks at Kate who's closed in on herself and quietly biting her bottom lip. He shuts his eyes. _Wow is she gorgeous. _Gerry swallows his fears and puts a hand next to his lap, close to Kate's leg.

"Y-you aren't really what I thought you'd be from videos and stuff. You seem really… quiet and um. I dunno. I-it's nice." Kate looks at him with a worried wrinkled lip.

"You sure? This is when people usually tell me I'm boring and fuck right off."

"Boring? No way," Gerry gestures toward the spots their sitting. "No way! Look at where we are." Kate shrugs and a small smile pops up again. She looks down at his hand and then up at him. He starts retracting his hand but she grabs it quickly, lacing their fingers together. His shoulders tense while hers relax. _OH MY GOD. OH MY FUCK. OH MY SHIT. _

"Look. This is probably so _fucking _innapropriate being that you're not even of age and I'm a gross old lady hitting on you. But like. Ugh. This sounds so ridiculous but there's something about you that I…" Gerry snaps out of his stupor and faces her again.

"That you what?"

"Well I'm sort of… _kind of, _maybe just a _little bit, _into you."

"GYT!" Gerry can't contain the grin spreading across his face and Kate thinks it's infectious, seeing as her face is mimicking his. "I-uh. Yeah me too." He starts laughing uncontrollably into the sleeve of his shirt, body shaking.

"Get ahold of yourself," Kate jokes.

"I CAN'T! This is like the BEST. DAY. EVER." Kate leans closer and rests her chin on his strong shoulder. He stiffens up. "I-I should tell you that I haven't um… done stuff. Like. Anything."

"Already thinking about _THAT _huh?" Her teasing makes his ears get red, and she purrs. "Don't worry about it yet. I'll teach you all you need to know." He shivers feeling her breath against his ear, but he just about explodes when he feels her teeth tug the lobe.

"_Nnr_, oh man." He leans into her with ease and holds her hand tighter, almost too tight. Her tongue peeks out between her teeth and she licks just under his ear teasingly. "Hah. Oh man. _Ohhhh _man." He grips his pants tightly, already feeling them get tighter in one very specific spot. _NO! DOWN! BAD. _Kate uses her free hand to reach up to his jaw and turns his chin toward her.

"You're really cute, Gerry." If this were an anime, his eyes would be the size of pennies and he'd be sweating adorably. He squeezes her hand again and she winces slightly. "Easy. I'm not superhuman like you." Gerry lets go and rubs his palm against his pants. He tries moving his head away just slightly but she guides it toward her again.

"Sorry. Nervous. _Really _nervous. I'm gonna start doing that spider thing where I start talkingreallyfastwhenit'snotnecessary!" Kate pulls back a bit but keeps her hold on his jaw.

"It's ok. Do you want this now? I can wait." Gerry shakes his head no.

"No! I mean _YES_! Yes. I want this now." Kate gives him am unsure look and he decides to be proactive. He swallows a big lump that tickles each sphincter while going down his neck, and he turns his body so he's straddling the beam they're sitting on. _Do it. It's gonna happen. It's gonna be awesome. FUCK! FUCK THIS IS HORRIFYING! _He looks down but he pulls Kate toward him by her waist. She seems to get a kick out of it.

"Lay it on me then. I go right, you go right." Kate tilts her head slightly and Gerry does the same, moving in at a snail's pace before giving her a two second kiss and dropping his head on her lap.

"YES! _YES!_ YES!" Gerry's body is shaking from the adrenaline and Kate pets his head, laughing into her palm. "NNYehhh! _Nyeh_! I gotta tell Annie!" He whips his phone out and sends, "I DIDZ IT! I DIDZ IT!" And then he closes his phone, not elaborating in the slightest.

"Annie?"

"My cousin. She's pretty much my sister though."

"Oh." Kate continues petting his neck and his eyes start drifting closed. "I was talking about a _real_ kiss though."

"Uh. Y-yeah? That was real though? Heh." He gets up from her lap, keeping a hand on her knee, and she closes in fast, wrapping her arms around his neck. "_Nn—mmf_." She takes his bottom lip in hers and lets go, keeping their faces a hair-width apart. Gerry's eyes shift back and forth, but he's totally overtaken by the feeling. He digs his fingers into her waist just a little and she groans at the touch. "Sorry."

"No. Good noise." _O-ohhh, _he thinks. He does it again, slightly harder, and she lets out a breath that chills his dampened lip. "Your turn to kiss me." The tips of Gerry's ears get pink and warm, but he does it again, opening his mouth a second too early and pulling back.

"Sorr—"

"—Stop apologizing," she huffs. "If you mess up just roll with it, ok?" He nods and goes in again, this time getting it just right, sucking her top lip and tasting her light pink strawberry gloss. _Nrgh. Strawberry is the fuckin' best. _He's surprised by the small moan that bubbles up in the back of his throat and embarrassedly clears it. He opens one eye. _She doesn't care. _Her mouth sucks then lets go again, and he follows her lead. She runs her hands over his neck and then down his chest, rubbing out his muscles.

"Hhn, that feels great." Kate gives him an encouraging smile and sneaks one of her hands over his on her knee and she guides it further up. He groans when his hand is caught between her warm thighs, and his thumb is closer to an even _warmer _thing. "D-damn, dude."

"Agreed," she whispers. Kate takes her bottom lip into her mouth, sparkling white teeth digging into the skin. Gerry watches with a twitching eye.

"That's the hottest thing I've ever seen in my life."

"You'll see better later." Gerry grabs his chest and throws his head back.

"UGHHHHH!" Kate laughs at him again and kisses his slightly stubbled chin. "I-I can't take it anymore. I'm gonna like—_BURST_ right here."

"'Burst' at home. It's getting late." She checks her phone. It's already been almost an hour. "Maybe don't tell your parents about this for a while, alright?"

"Right." Gerry tugs at his pants leg, feeling them getting way too tight for comfort, and pops into a squat. "Hold onto me." She does so, and he gets them down smoothly. "You can ride us back." Kate nods and hops on, Gerry holds her ribs, and she pushes his hands down to her waist.

"Be bold Ger-bear."

"Ew." Kate snickers into the cold air and starts riding them back toward the tunnel.

"It's cute. Cuter than the joke I was gonna make about you riding me like you rode this bike." Gerry groans and feels himself get limp. "But then I realized _you're _the one that has the penis so. Whoops." Gerry smirks and kisses the back of her head.

"You're funny. That's a good thing. Me likez the funnyz."

"Goodable English there." _VRRRRRROM! _The engine roars through the near-empty tunnel, and Gerry's running through tonight over and over in his head.

"I can't believe this is real. Like. Sometimes I get all sentimental at night when I'm in my bed. In my bed and _not _jerking to pictures of uh... Anyway. I just really freak about time passing you know? It's scary."

"It is." They come out the other side of the tunnel and hit a light. She turns to him and rubs his knee. "But sometimes, time is the only thing you can rely on."

"...Sounds like something deeper." Kate shrugs, and tries to drop the subject by not answering. "I'm here for you. Even though you… barely know me. I-I am."

"We'll see," she said. Sadness sits heavy in her throat and they drive quietly the rest of the short way.

The engine dies down quietly. She parked a block early where Gerry said was best, and he slowly gets off the bike.

"Sorry if I made you feel… bad or something."

"Not at all," she says loudly, "You actually made me feel better than I have in quite some time."

"Do you think you'd tell me what's bothering you sometime soon?" Kate looks down then back up.

"Soon. Not now." Gerry nods at her words and then leans in. She meets him and they kiss for a few breathless moments and pull away quietly. "Would you like to do something tomorrow?" Gerry smiles wide and hops slightly on one foot.

"Hell yeah."

"Wonderful." Kate smiles and revs up her bike again. "See you tomorrow then."

"I'll text you." His words are raspy and his heart's beating in his ears. "B-bye Kate." She zooms off in the opposite direction of his house and he stands there quietly with a huge toothy smile on his face. "Life is great."


	4. And So It Begins

p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"11:32 PM/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Gerry's slouched in his computer chair that has stains of multiple kinds (he swears it's just a melted marshmallow) and his phone is up to his ear. He tires to talk as quietly as possible, knowing his Mom is knocked out and that Carol is going to be soon as well. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""So that's everything. It was… fucking crazy. I'm losin' my mind over it all." Gerry talks and itches his scalp. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Annie's voice comes in on the other line, "I've literally never heard you talk about a girl like this before. I'm… slightly concerned, seeing that your parents are /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"totally /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"gonna freak out, but uh. Maybe it'll work out?" /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Gee. Where's the enthusiasm dude?" Gerry ends his sentence with a sigh. Annie breathes in and her chair squeaks. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Look I'm not like an expert with relationships. I've had like one. It wasn't great. But… you're /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"YOU. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I'm sure you're gonna be a lucky duck and something great will fall in your lap. I'm just a bit nervous seeing as she's /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"soooo /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"much older than you." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Well my Birthday's this week. At least I'll be of age, right?" He laughs awkwardly. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Uh-huh."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Shit. I know. I /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"know /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"she's older. And even though she's been coming on to me, I dunno man, I don't feel like she's fucking with me. It feels genuine."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Once again. I trust you. But still. I don't know if I trust /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"her /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"yet."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yeah. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Yeah /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"that's fair." They stop talking for a second and Gerry wiggles his toes. "I dunno what I'll tell Mom and Ma." He leans his arm on the small desk in front of him, pushing the old keyboard back he spilled Coke on yesterday, and holds his head in one hand. "Kinda feel like Mom's gonna lose her shit."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yeah. She might. N' I'll be here if that happens."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Thanks. You're the best, ya know?" He hears Annie's teeth click and he knows she's smiling. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You're pretty cool too. Anyway, 'night buddy," she says with finality./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Bye." /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Click. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Gerry drops his phone down and stares at his closet. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I shouldn't… it seems wrong. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Gerry taps his finger nail on the desk. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"…../span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"…../span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Fuck it." /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Shttp. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The chair pushes back and he pulls open his closet door and starts digging through his box of skate tools and wax. He grins when he feels the stack of magazines grace his presence by brushing against his fingers. He pulls the four magazines out and drools. "Hot DAMN/span span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"is she beautiful." Gerry spreads the magazines out on his bed and stares at them. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Now I know what her waist really feels like. N' I can imagine kissing her so easily now, too. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"His eyes roam up her legs and stop when they get at the apex of her thighs. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Shit. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He was just about to reach for his pants when—/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Knock Knock/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hey," Carol says through the door, "Can I come in for a second?" Gerry sighs quietly and gently kissing the one that's a close up of Kate's face before hiding it. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Dk. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Carol walks in and closes the door behind herself. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Dk. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"She's still wearing her Captain Marvel suit. "Jessica was telling me you ran into Hawkeye." Gerry shrugs and sits on top of his messy sheets. Carol eyes him with a subtle grin on her lips. "So…"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""So?" Gerry spits, aggravated for no reason. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""So you're not gonna tell me how in forty-eight hours you already got her to kiss you?" Gerry jerks upright and stares into Carol with such intensity that even Carol's contact falters. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""...Ma. You told Mom didn't you?" His brows are so wrinkled they make his muscles feel knotted. Anxiety burns the back of his neck./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Nope." Carol watches his shoulders relax again, and he slumps back against the wall his bed is shoved against. "/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"You're/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" gonna be the one to tell her."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Uuuuh, heh." Gerry went to pull at his shirt collar and realized he wasn't wearing one. He pulls a sheet over his back, wrapping it around his torso. "Y-yeah just… not now, Ma. Like, you shoulda seen how pissed Mom was that I was just lookin'." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I can imagine," Carol says with a quiet chuckle. "Plot twist. Her ex's protege starts dating her son that's way too young." Carol crosses her arms and Gerry shrinks into the sheets. "You /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"are /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"young, Gerry. That's probably the biggest reason why Jessica's so freaked out." Gerry huffs and wraps his fists in the sheets. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Why though? Like it's not like she's sixty." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Because you're not even eighteen yet, and she's had so much life experience you aren't even close to. It's gonna be a problem. You aren't as mature as she is just by default."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""W-well it's not like she's takin' advantage. I-I don't feel that way at least." Carol unfolds her arms and sits on the very edge of his bed. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""It's good you feel that, but /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"still /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Gerry. This isn't as simple as if you just had a girl your own age…. And it's even more complicated that she's been in /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"so /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"many relationships before. Sexual and not." Gerry shimmies away from Carol slightly, uncomfortable with anything sex related when it comes from his parent's mouths. "Gerry… let's fuckin' be honest." Carol's face softens. "At some point /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"probably /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"soon you're gonna have sex a—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""—No. please." Gerry gives a pleading look that Carol waves off. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No this is important. You know how I feel about drinking. This is kinda the same way. Please don't do it just because she can, and especially not if it's right before you do anything serious." Gerry says nothing, picking at a scab on his knee. "Do you understand me?" Gerry shakes his head yes. "Ok." Carol stands and runs her fingers through Gerry's freshly washed hair. "Please make the right decisions, even if they're hard." Gerry sees a sincerity in her face that he's rarely had to see before. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"She's not talkin' down to me for once. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I-I will." Carol waves and whispers bye, walking out the door. Right before it closes, Gerry calls out. "Ma?" She opens the door slightly. "S-sorry if I was um. Like the other day. I probably sounded like a… trash human." /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I would say a total dick but I save those for Mom. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Carol smiles softly. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Me too. See you." /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Dk. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Gerry smiles at the floor and falls over onto his pillow wrapped in a ball of sheets. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Kate, /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"is the last thing he thinks before he falls asleep. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Next Day, 3:22 PM/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Gerry and Annie are walking side by side, elebows brushing, weaning their way through school traffic. Gerry always walks her to her bus at the backlot of the school everyday. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Well I'm glad your Ma already knew to be honest," Annie shouts over the crowd. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yeah. It was actually not that bad." Gerry shrugs and pulls out his phone. He brings up Kate's number but continues to stare at the keyboard. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What're you gonna say?" He looks up at Annie who's smiling encouragingly while holding up the straps of her heavy backpack. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I dunno. I'll probably just tell her I don't work today so I'm free now." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Sounds good to me." They both jump up on a brick ledge to a long garden area and a teacher in the background tries calling them down. They continue to walk anyhow. "This school sucks." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yup," Gerry clicks his tongue. "Like two people died this year and it's only September."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""It's… bad." Annie kicks the back of Gerry's leg and his knee gives out. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Dick!" He slaps her arm and she slaps back. "Alright. Here's zeee bus." They hop down onto the fresh pavement and Annie fist bumps him. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Peacez. Get some good puss," Annie chuckles./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Ahhh. I will," he says with an exaggerated smugness. He pulls out his phone again and types away. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Zoop. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"It sent. He throws his skateboard on the ground and hits tons of deep cracks that slow his roll. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The worst. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He gets off school property and stops at the buzz in his pocket. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'm already waiting at the front of your school. You know what I'm riding." Gerry smiles wide at his phone screen and starts skating through the side alley to get back to the front. As promised, she's sitting on her bike in the pick up area. Gerry itches his chest and rides forward. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ba-book ba-book. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"His wheels slowly get over each bump before he drops a foot and drags his heel. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Oh, skater boy huh?" /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Been doin' it since I could walk." He gets on her bike and a group of kids standing in the grass by them stare, seemingly unsure that's really Hawkeye. He shakes off the feeling of their eyes burning into his head and holds onto his board with one hand while holding Kate's jacket with a closed fist. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I have an idea. How does pizza at my place sound?" /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Amazing." /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"VRRM! /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Kate sets off toward her apartment that's only a few blocks away. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'm in the mood for sharing. At least a /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"little /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"at least." Kate talks loudly over the roar of the engine./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""So soon?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Right? I'm usually the brooding type but…" Kate rubs his knee that's touching the side of her thigh. "I dunno. Seems like you won't be a judgmental boyfriend." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Boyfriend/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"," he says in a dreamy voice. Kate smiles at him then quickly pulls into the two floor garage under her building. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Nngh. Boyfriend. I feel better than I did beating Pinstripe in that shitty Crash Team Racing level. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"She turns the bike off and it hums itself to sleep. Kate stands and rests her hands on Gerry's thighs, leaning over him. He gets jittery, but he still manages to meet her in a soft closed-mouth kiss. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""More later, let's go." He follows without question, and they stand in the compact elevator with ugly orange carpeting that has so many stains on it he lost count. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ding. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Kate walks them toward the door and puts her phone to her ear. "What kinda pizza do you like?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Anything but sausage," he answers. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Great. Me too," she sticks her tongue out in disgust and he closes the door behind them. She orders in the kitchen a few feet from the door, and Lucky barks happily, putting her feet up on his stomach. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hey, doggy." He rubs her ears and her eyes start closing. Kate comes up behind him and pulls at his backpack. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Lemme drop it for you." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Oh. Thanks." He lets her pull it off his arms and she sets it down with a hard /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"THUNK /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"by the front door. Lucky licks his slim jeans while he takes his shoes off. He looks around the room that he was too nervous to really take in last time, and he grins at the small white keyboard shoved in the corner. "You play?" /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I did for a long time. Used to have a beautiful grand piano at my parents house," Kate talks while rolling her shoulders out./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Argh. I always wanted one of those. You musta been rich."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I was," she admits. Gerry looks at her quizzically. "I dropped my family. They sucked. So I did the rational thing; I swapped lives to be Hawkeye." She chuckles but it seems to lack the humor. "What an idiot." Gerry opens his mouth but she passes by him and pulls out the piano chair, swiping her hand over it. "Lucky! Stop shedding!" Lucky ducks her head and rubs her hard tail against Gerry. He walks over and Kate points her elbow at the spot next to her. He sits and watches her hands get into position at the left end of the keyboard. She starts playing, and Gerry nods along softly, feeling the keys vibration in the floor travel through his feet up to his head. He starts humming quietly. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Hm-hmm hm. Hm-hmm hm. Da da da da. Hm hm hm. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Moonlight Sonata," Gerry calls out in recognition. Kate smiles at him. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""It's my favorite," she says, continuing to play without looking at the keys. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Mine too." Her body moves with the music, and her fingers press hard on the keys. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"She's got perfect form. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He takes the chance to look at her clothes that are tight fitting but appropriate for her age. She has a dark purple shirt that has a wide cut-out on her back with long sleeves, and she's wearing slim black pants that taper perfectly at her ankles. He feels a strong need to touch her exposed back but keep himself from doing so. Gerry's toes dig into the rough black carpet underneath the piano that stops the chair from scratching the wood. His eyes go back to her fingers, and he can't help himself. He puts one hand on the keys and starts playing along with her. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Look at you." She starts nodding and she watches his face as he focuses in on keeping up with her. It's her turn to look at him. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"His haircut really suits him. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"She notices he has a hole in his left sock about where his pinky toe knuckle is. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Must be from the skating. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"His jeans are cuffed at the ankle, showing off burgundy socks that have a cat flipping everyone off. She smirks. His top is slightly distressed on the collar, but it's a color blocked shirt with a white torso and short burgundy sleeves. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Simple but cute. Very, very cute. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"She breathes in harder than she thought and he stops his fingers to look at her. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"God his eyes are pretty. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""We should do that again sometime." He smiles in a warm way that makes her feel comforted. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Unlike all the other dicks I've dated. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You're good." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You weren't bad yourself. When did you start?" /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Uh," he scratches his neck, "Probably when I was ten. I don't play much anymore. I just have a crappy keyboard shoved in my closet right now." Kate fails to say anything since she's too busy staring at his arm muscles that are slim yet still bulging under his shirt. "Kate?" /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hmm?" /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You're checking me out aren't ya?" He's got a big smirk on his face and Kate huffs. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No way, little boy." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Righhhht/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hey what is this?" Kate gives him a humored look and tilts her head. "You teasing /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"me?/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"" /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No way, middle-aged lady." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Wowww," Kate slaps his knee and he chuckles. Lucky whines from the couch. "Relax baby. I'm not hurting him." Lucky drops her tail loudly on the arm rest. "She likes you a lot." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I like her too," he says in Lucky's direction. Her ears go up. "B-but I like /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"you /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"more." He tries to be bold, and he straddles the piano chair, holding her exposed back like he's wanted to this whole time. He doesn't run his fingers over each bump of her spine like he wants however, /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"cuz I don't wanna be weird. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hey I'm new with everything. As ya c-can tell." She smiles patiently at him. "What should I /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"not/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" do?" /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'm good with anything. Just," Kate looks hesitant to say it, "No butt stuff." Gerry laughs and nods. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Why does this remind me of something Annie always says? (Annie says her old friend used to say, 'NEVER DO THE BUTT STUFF!' and Annie has made a pact with herself about it since then)./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Got it." He lets his rough fingers graze over her spine at last, and watches her lashes flutter. "You have pretty eyes," he says breathlessly. His fingers are clumsy and he moves too quickly to be especially sensual. Kate thinks nothing of it, /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I'm ok with the lack of practice, /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"she thinks. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Your's win the battle though." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Oh. Thanks," he says. He starts at her neck and goes down to where the cut out of her shirt ends, right where her pants waist lie. His hands roam from there to around her waist, resting on her hips. He struggles with wanting to do more but being too nervous to act on it. His fingers tap at her sides. She reaches up to his smooth face, rubbing his jaw below his ears, and she kisses to the side of his mouth. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Don't worry. You'll get comfortable with me soon." Gerry nods, and leans into her face. She takes his top lip and he sucks her bottom. He kisses again and again until she kisses him slightly deeper, parting her lips more, and she takes the initiative to graze his tongue with hers. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hhhn," he moans uncontrollably. He tries pulling back, but Kate bites his lip and tugs him in for more. She opens her eyes and watches his face totally focus then relax over and over. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He's still holding back just a little. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him faster, wanting him to keep up. He tries his hardest, only messing up once and kissing her chin accidentally. Gerry's fingers dig into her waist and it sends a shock between her legs. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Mmf," her voice cracks. He kisses more, testing out his tongue against hers and she moans again. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ungh it's been way too long, /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"she thinks. Gerry's spurred on even more and he tugs her lips like she did his. She lets out a breath and her arms unwrap from his neck and her hands run down his chest. She pushes up the front of his shirt. He pulls back, both of them slightly panting, and she bites her lip, staring at his stomach. "Wow. Those are… those are some nice abs." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Thanks. I have no self esteem so I work out a lot," he laughs. "Work out meaning stuff my face with Taco Bell."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Fuck you," she whines, "I'd gain eighty pounds. I'm /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"already /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"overweight." He looks at her with slits for eyes. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Overweight where?" He looks at her stomach and runs his knuckles over it. "Perfect to me." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'm like ten pounds heavier than I'd like." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I think you look great." He gives her that same warm smile he did earlier and she feels butterflies in her stomach./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I feel like such a kid right now." She rolls her eyes at herself. "It's been /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"wayyyy/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" too long since I've seen anyone." Gerry nods and kisses her cheek. She feels the spot get warmer. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I've never. So. Eh." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"DING-DONG. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Kate gets up and Gerry huffs in disappointment. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Now now, Ger-bear." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""The worst nickname ever." Kate shuffles over the worn floorboards and pays the skinny pizza girl. The door shuts loudly./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""How about 'babe' then? You into babe?" Gerry settles down in a white wobbly kitchen chair and rubs his nose. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Y-yeah…." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Ok then, /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"babe/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"." She adds extra emphasis just to embarrass him further. She pulls out glass plates and opens the greasy pizza box up, flicking the hanging light on while she pours him soda. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You first," he says, pointing to her./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What a gentleman." She plops her slice down on her plate and holds a flimsy recycled napkin in her other hand. "Anywho, I figured we should do that boring talk about what we expect from each other. But first I should make quick work of giving you my boring history of 'dating.' Ooooh so fun!" Kate takes a big bite of pizza, swallowing down the big globs of cheese. "Fuck this pizza's good."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""It really is," Gerry says, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""None of that," she puts his hand down. "Eat as messy as you want. We'll compete with who's grosser."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Ew," he chuckles. "Uh," his face gets serious again. "Please tell me what you were gonna say a second ago." Kate's grin fades a little and she swallows half her glass in one go. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Alright. I don't have a great record with dating. I've always kind of fucked around, but trust me I'm far from being a total loose-goose." Gerry tries not to laugh at that comparison and takes a small bite of his pizza. "Anyway, um." She runs a hand through her hair and Gerry can tell she's struggling with her words. "Fuck it. I don't wanna sound like I'm /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"clingy /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"or /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"annoyingggg /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"or anything, but I always feel like with guys they kind of just fuck and then that's it. It's never made me feel… wanted." She says the last word so quietly he barely hears it. He reaches out to her hand holding the napkin but she pulls just out of reach. "I-I don't want pity."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I don't have any pity for ya. I just wanted to comfort you." He makes sincere eye contact and she shrinks away, drinking the rest of her glass. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I have a hard time feeling like people are being really… sympathetic and things like that."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Alright. I can deal with that." Kate looks at him slightly unimpressed. "I can." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What's /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"your /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"thing?" Gerry sits back and finishes his slice, thinking on it. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"…./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I dunno yet. Mom tells me I can be impatient." Kate sniffs in humor with a mouth full of pizza. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I've definitely seen Captain Marvel be impatient. That would make sense."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'm not as scary though," he mumbles, tapping the table. "Look I know I'm young. N'... it kinda sucks that ya probably just see me as a dumb ass kid, but I'm not /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"totally/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" a kid. Like. I've dealt with stuff. Not as much as you, clearly, since yer… a /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"woman /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"and stuff, but I've dealt with… stuff. N' so what I'm tryna say is, I know yer gonna get annoyed with me cuz I might not be as quick as you with adult shit, but I'm gonna try my freakin' hardest to grow up /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"with /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"you. Ok?" Kate looks at him with genuine surprise. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Ok." /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He's way more grown up then I may have thought. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I don't think you're just a kid, for the record." Gerry smiles thankfully. "No… you're just a beautiful, sparkly spring chicken that I get to de/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"virgin/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"ize… if that's a word." Gerry drops his forehead into his hand. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You suck," he jokes. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'm pretty good at sucking." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Nnnt." Kate smirks and shoves the pizza box closer to him. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Eat up." Gerry grabs a slice giving her an annoyed look. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"5:36 PM /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Kate gave him a full-rundown on why this one Cop show (which he already forgot the name of) is the best show on TV. He gave in and they've been sitting on the couch with Lucky's head and Kate's head on his lap for an hour. Gerry's hardly been paying attention, way too focused on varying his petting between Kate and Lucky. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ding. Vrrr. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He picks his phone up and hisses when he sees it's his Mom. The text reads, /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hey. Were you working today, love?" Gerry answers quickly. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No work today." He pauses. "Out with Annie." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He sees her typing again. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Oh /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"ARE /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"you? ...Funny. I'm at Peter's house right now with no GERRY in sight." Gerry winces. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Kate. We are uh… fucked." Kate sits up slightly, putting minimal weight on his thigh. "Mom knows I'm not at my Uncle's place." He looks at her worriedly. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Alright. I'll be a good adult and tell you to fess up." Gerry drops his head. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""She's gonna kick my ass," he cries. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No no," Kate sighs, "She'll just kick MINE." He sees his Mom typing again. Kate gives him a stern look and his shoulders sag. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Gerry," Jessica writes, "Tell me where you are. I /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"probably /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"won't be mad." He laughs worriedly. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I should just call her right?" Kate nods in agreement and sits upright, throwing her legs over his and letting Lucky lick her foot. "Shit." She brings his phone up to his ear./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Br-innng./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ughhhhhhhhhhh. BA-DUMP. BA-DUMP. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""So. Care to tell me now?" Her sharp accent reeks with agitation. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Well I uh. Well um. Mom I'm sort of um." He rubs his nose with the back of his hand and Kate brushes a loose strand of hair from his forehead. "So Kate n' I—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You're /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"BLOODY /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"joking!" She huffs so heavy he pulls the phone from his ear. He hears her breathing evens out quickly after. Kate bites the inside of her mouth, half feeling like this is super funny, and half feeling sorry for Gerry who's so stressed that he's sweating. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Lemme talk to her," Kate whispers. Gerry gives her a worried shake of his head. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You crazy?" He cries. Kate gives him an impatient look and takes the phone from his hand. Gerry just about busts a vein. "Nnnno!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hey Jessica. How about you just come over and we get the drama outta the way?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Kate/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"," she says dangerously, "I can't believe you'd—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""—Like I said. Come over and let's talk. I live on Dearborn and 89th. 'Few blocks from his school." Jessica breathes heavily on the other end./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Fine." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Great. See you soon pouty-pants." /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Click. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""D-dude?!" Gerry holds his hands up and shakes them. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Get ready for it." Kate kisses his nose. "It's gonna be fine." /span/p 


	5. I FINALLY GOT SOME!

**Twenty-two Minutes Later. **

_KNOCK! KNOCK! _

Gerry collapses on the couch, wrapping Lucky in his arms.

"Nnnnnn," he whines. _I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. _Kate rolls her eyes and mosseys her way toward the door.

"Comin'." _Creek DOOF. _"Argh!" Kate stumbles back a few feet and holds her left eye. "_Fuck_ dude!"

"You weren't coming as fast as my fist," Jessica smoothly talks and kicks the door closed with her heel.

"Mom!" Gerry sits up on the couch, half using it for cover.

"No. You get to say _nothing _right now." Jessica holds her finger up at him and he drops his chin against his forearm that's weakly strung out along the couch backing. Lucky mimics him and has her head on the couch backrest as well. Jessica turns her attention back to Kate who's checking her already swelling eye out in the mirror.

"_Argh,_" she pokes at her lid, "Any harder n' I _swear _it would've popped!" Gerry cringes.

"Kate," Jessica snaps her fingers at her, "Listen to me. I can't believe what a wanker you are to be messing around with a _boy._" Kate tsks and holds her eye again, facing Jessica. Both of them have a hand on their hips. "Especially knowing _me. _Like you and I have known each other _longer _than I _care _to, so it's not like you didn't know how much this would peeve me." Jessica's so annoyed she's smiling with a deeply furrowed brow. "Unless that's your goal." Kate's head jerks back.

"No?"

"Did you tell him about the countless men you've thrown away?"

"Hey…"

"Or did you tell him about poor _sweet _Marvel Boy who you've been fucking around with on and off since you were nineteen." Kate looks at Gerry nervously who looks skeptical of Kate right now.

"That's different," Kate whispers. "He's not a boy anyway he just _looks _like one."

"Not really helping your case. Especially since the last time I talked to him, which was only a month ago, he said you claimed to love him." Gerry hisses on the couch and turns his back to them. Kate drops her hand from her eye and stares right through Jessica.

"Wow. Fuck you," Kate says, still shocked that Jessica even said half of what she did. Jessica laughs bitterly and shrugs.

"Don't play with my son, Kate. It's the last thing he needs." Jessica looks at her and Kate looks down at her socks feeling totally caught off guard. "Gerry, come here." Gerry takes a second to get up, but he does so looking anywhere but at Kate. Lucky whines and hides under the kitchen table.

"See you, doggy." Lucky whines again. Jessica softens up when he starts putting his shoes on.

"Hawkeye's rarely have your best interest at heart. And it deeply upsets me that you seem to have fallen into the same path as Clint, Kate. Totally unable to connect to another person unless they sacrifice themselves for your sake." That was the last straw for Kate, and she just about collapses on the floor. Her organs feels like they weighs a thousand pounds and she uses the table to lean on, pretending that didn't bother her as much as it did. _It's so fucking true, _Kate thinks to herself.

"Sorry Gerry," Kate says looking at his feet. "She's right I'm… more trouble than I'm worth." Gerry shoots up from his bent position, getting dizzy at the speed.

"Not true!" He shouts louder than he needs to. Jessica wrinkles her lip but Kate cuts in before she can.

"It is. It _really _is. Just forget about it alright? I'm sure some other girl will be _wayyy _easier to have than me." Kate digs her nails into the small wooden table and bites her tongue. _This sucks, _she thinks, _I was really starting to feel something for him. _

"Kate come on. You're _freakin' _Hawkeye. You have no powers and you still fight next to the Avengers. Who cares if you're messed up? I-I don't."

"Gerry," Jessica says tiredly, pushing her purse up her shoulder, "Don't get too sappy on us now."

"Says you," he says with aggravation he's never used against Jessica before. "I happen to actually really like her. Who's to say she can't be different?" Jessica looks like she's on the verge of hitting him so she chooses to save her aggression for the door and swings it open so hard it puts a gash in the wall.

"Gee thanks," Kate sighs.

"Let's go," Jessica says deeply, turning her back to him and walking toward the stairs. Gerry rushes toward Kate and kisses her as hard as he can, probably bruising her lips.

"Please don't give up on me." His eyes are wet and his voice is shaky. "I'm not gonna stop thinking about you, Kate." Kate's eyes get misty but she pushes him off.

"I'm sorry, Gerry." She talks quiet, and to Gerry, it sounds insincere. He rubs his eye and hesitates before kissing her one more time.

"S-see you soon," he whispers, running out to catch up with his Mom. Kate shuts the door and knocks her head into it roughly.

"Hawkeye curse. I swear it's a thing."

**6:59 PM**

The ride home on the back of his Mom's bike was so tense you could cut it with a knife. He said nothing and neither did Jessica. He followed her up the stairs to their apartment with three steps between them. _Crrk. _The door opens and the record player in the living room is playing one of Carol's favorite _Supremes _album with low volume.

"Hey _b—oooh_ man." Carol sees Jessica's royally angry face and watches her kick her shoes into the wall before whipping her purse into the closet. Carol slowly picks up the record needle. Gerry shuffles in behind her, trying not to make a peep. Jessica turns around and stares at Gerry who stands stock-still against the door.

"Bugger off and don't talk to me tonight." Jessica stomps toward her bedroom. SLAM! Gerry looks at Carol with puppy-dog eyes.

"What did you do?" Carol mouths. Gerry drops his shoulder and take his shoes off, dropping his book bag by the closet door. He walks over to Carol who's eating Oreo ice cream out of the carton at the kitchen counter.

"She came to Kate's place and… passive-aggressively spoke very loudly." Carol semi-laughs, pulling a spoon out of the drawer and handing it to him.

"Ice cream helps on days like these." Gerry takes the spoon and scoops a huge amount into his mouth. "I'll talk to her."

"Ehhhh," Gerry worriedly pulls at her Air Force t-shirt sleeve. Carol shakes him off and sucks in a big breath before knocking on the bedroom door and walking in. Gerry just keeps shoving ice cream down his neck until the pain _sort of _fades.

**Meanwhile in Carol and Jessica's Room **

Jessica's rocking herself on the big soft tan recliner She-Hulk passed onto them a few years ago. Jessica was sure to ask how many people she 'had' on it, but surprisingly, Jennifer only said one. She never told Carol. Her legs are crossed and her head is resting on a tight-closed fist. Carol's walks in quietly, cracking the floor with her weight until she kneels in front of Jessica and crosses her arms on Jessica's lap.

"Hey," Carol speaks quietly, knowing Jessica probably has a furious headache by now. "You look super beautiful today, you know?" Jessica _tsks._

"I'm not putting out."

"Wasn't trying for that." Carol looks at Jessica who's literally just wearing dark jeans and a light pink top, but Carol still feels like she's the hottest looking woman she's ever seen. "You do look hot when you're mad though."

"You're so annoying," Jessica groans. The words don't actually have any threat behind them and Carol grins anyway.

"So. Why are you _actually _mad about it?"

"It?" Jessica finally makes eye contact. "You knew didn't you?"

"...Flew over the bridge yesterday. Saw them cuddling up. It looked pretty romantic and heartfelt from where I was standing—er—flying I guess." Jessica stands up, making Carol move.

"You didn't tell me of course." Jessica holds her hand up. "I'm gonna just stop. My blood pressure must be through the bloody _roof_." She tears her shirt over her head, ripping it slightly under the arm. "Fuck." Jessica throws it against the wall and Carol moves out the way so Jessica can get to her closet. She kicks her pants off and changes into her matching set of red-striped pajamas. Once she buttons the last bit, Carol walks up behind her and wraps her arms around her waist, kissing the side of her forehead that's pulsating.

"Jess," she starts quietly, "What about it's really bothering you?" Jessica sighs and leans back into Carol.

"The fact that it's Hawkeye. The fact that she's older and that's so creepy. Also the fact that _IT'S KATE._" Jessica bites her tongue hard. "...Also the fact that he's getting old enough to be… _seeing _someone." Carol nods against her shoulder.

"I kept thinking about that last week," Carol admits. "We don't really have any control over him anymore."

"No… he's making that pretty obvious isn't he?" Jessica wraps her arms over Carol's. "Teenagers are fickle little creatures aren't they?" Carol sniffs a laugh and kisses Jessica again. "One minute they want something, the next they don't. I'm worried he'll… be like that with a girlfriend. I don't want him hurting people."

"Have you met him? He'd never."

"Yes but I've definitely done it as a kid, and even as an adult." Jessica sucks her teeth. "Carol…" Jessica turns around and presses her nose up against Carol's. "I don't think I'm as angry as I am scared."

"Go tell him." Jessica makes a pouty face and Carol sighs at her. "Go. Now. He's eating ice cream by the gallon, someone has to stop him." Jessica smiles just slightly.

"I suppose…" she mumbles.

"Good girl."

"Shut up," Jessica jabs Carol's side. Jessica starts walking to the door but Carol stops her, grabbing a thin wrist and tugging her back. Carol spins Jessica toward her and kisses her softly.

"I love you so much," Carol says. Jessica smiles against her lips.

"I love you too. Thank you." Jessica rubs the back of Carol's neck soothingly. "Alright. I probably scared the piss out of our son." Carol grins.

"Maybe so. But at least he knows his Mom isn't messing around, right?" Jessica raises her brows and thinks on that. She opens the door to her bedroom and peeks her head out.

"Gerry?" He jumps off the couch, fingers covered in _Flammin' Hot Cheetos. _

"Uh. Yes?"

"Wash your hands and come in here."

"Ok…" he guiltily throws away his bag and wipes his fingers clean on his pants. He walks into the room slowly and picks at his belt buckle.

"Sit," Jessica pats the perfectly made bed and Carol watches from the corner, leaning against the closet door.

"Gross, I don't wanna sit on your bed when you guys bo—" he bites his tongue and covers his face with one hand. Carol grins. _Totally my kid_, she thinks.

"Sit." Jessica insists and he sits on the very edge, only half of his leg on it. "Get over it!" Jessica pulls him by the back of his shirt and he whines in his throat when she pushes him against the headboard. "So I may have um… overdone it earlier." Gerry rubs his eyebrows out and twitches his nose. "I still don't _like _that you're seeing her, let alone the age gap, but… I don't _have _to like it. You're growing up. It's up to you."

"So I can still…?"

"Yes," Jessica sighs, dusting the cat hair off her socks. Gerry grabs her forearm.

"F-for real?!"

"Oh don't act like you weren't going to see her anyway."

"Yeah well," Gerry bites the collar of his shirt then spits it out again. "So like. Can I go now?"

"Fine," Jessica says with a roll of her eyes. Gerry slaps his hands together and just about skids toward the door, but stops himself before walking backward to Carol and spinning dramatically.

"What are you doing right now?" Carol says with a grin. Gerry jerks her against him in a bone crushing hug. "No this doesn't hurt at all," Carol croaks, patting his back.

"Thanks Ma." He lets go and she has to catch herself against the wall. He whispers, "You were right about that stick, heh." Carol smirks and Gerry runs out the room.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothin'!" _SLAM. _

"I don't wanna know what you talk to him about."

"Yeah… don't worry about it," Carol agrees, clearing her throat.

….

"So about not putting out…" Jessica starts with a sly smile. Carol flies onto the bed and starts peppering Jessica from head to toe with kisses.

"Nenenenenene." Jessica laughs at Carol's countless noises and rubs Carol's head.

**Fifteen Minutes Later**

_Well, she won't open the front door. So… I improvise. _He's hanging over the ledge of her window, balancing his skateboard over his head.

_TAP TAP!_

His nose is pressed up on the glass and he's struggling to see in since her lights are off.

_TAP TAP! _

_RUFF! RUFF RUFF!_ Gerry smiles.

"Hell yes girl. Tell 'er to come here!" Lucky licks the window and then runs back to where he can't see her. A minute passes. "Lucky?!" _SHOOP. _

"OH MY GOD! SOMEONE'S BREAKING IN! JEFF CALL THE FUCKIN' COPS!" Gerry looks up two floors and sees a woman leaning over with her wet hair that's dripping on his face. Gerry stands on just his feet, waving at her.

"N-no! Don't do that Jeff! I'm just waiting for my girlfriend to—"

"JEFF HE'S A STALKER!"

"NO!" He shouts. Multiple people's windows light up. "Shit on me, dude." _SHOOP. _"Gy—"

He gets yanked in by the collar and Kate pops her head out.

"It's alright Mrs. Tompson. No big deal." The woman's face contorts seeing that Kate's just wearing a towel.

"Oh…" she squeaks in disgust, and slams her window closed.

"Ass." _SHOOP! _Kate huffs and leans on the windowsill. "Gerry what are you doing here?"

"Ma talked with Mom, n' with some miracle, Mom's less pissed about it. She said I can keep seeing you!" Gerry excitedly shakes his arms.

"RUFF!" Lucky jumps on his back and licks his shoulder.

"And I get to see you too, doggy!"

"No you don't." Gerry looks at her quizzically. "She wasn't wrong about me you know? I'm a mess. It was a mistake to start this."

"Mistake? What? No. You said yourself you feel happier since we've been—"

"—Yes but that doesn't mean it's good for us." Kate tries to keep her voice as even as possible. "Look. The thing with Marvel Boy was true. He… I definitely still see him. And guess what, soon as I said that three letter thing, he fuckin' dipped on me."

"Ok, and?" Kate shakes her head at him, losing patience quickly.

"Gerry. Those words were not a lie and it hurt so bad that I'm like, so worried I'm just using this as rebound."

….

Gerry purses his lips and sits on the couch. Lucky jumps up with him and lays her head on his lap.

"So you don't know for sure whether you actually like me then?" Kate looks away and pulls her towel up slightly. _Just say no, _she thinks, _this will be so much easier for him. _

"I d—"

"—I'm gonna do something you might get mad at me for later." He doesn't say anything after, and it's so dark in this room all she can see is that he's moving Lucky around the corner by her collar and she hears a door shut.

"What the hell?" Kate walks forward and flips the light on— "JESUS!" Gerry's right next to her and she jumps nearly a foot backward.

"Kate," he says it quietly and her eyes feel like they're out of focus. "You're either gonna get _really _scared of me or _really _queasy. Just let it happen. I won't touch you. I promise."

"Gerry what the hell is happening?" She reaches for the wall and misses, nearly tripping over her own toes. Her heart starts thumping in her ears.

"Kate. Do you _really _love Marvel Boy?" Gerry keeps his hands shoved deep in his pockets and he watches with shame all over his face. Kate blinks furiously and tries rubbing her eyes back to normal. _What the FUCK is going on?! Why is he asking THAT, I'm losing my mind! _

"No," she groans.

….

She covers her mouth and stares at an out of focus spot far away.

"Kate," she feels like he's closer but she can't tell anymore. "Do you actually want to stop seeing me?" Kate tries to swallow down her answer but she feels it snake it's way up her mouth so she keeps her hand covering it. She feels like she's sweating, and her head is aching.

"Nrrfff!"

"Take your hand off."

"No!" Kate bends over and grips her knees, nails cutting the skin. "No! I _want _you. N' I'm so afraid to say it because you could be just like everyone else! I'm so scared to love someone because everyone I thought I've loved leaves me! And part of me is so happy you're so young because you're so pure, and nothing has made you as jaded as everyone else. BUT DAMMIT! Everyone thinks of me as someone who's been dirtied but I'm FUCKING NOT! I'm pure too!" She gasps for air and falls to her knees. She grabs at her throat and suddenly her vision is back, and Gerry is on his knees looking at her worriedly. "WHAt dID I sAy?!" Kate runs her hands through her freshly washed jet black hair and curls in on herself. "Why?! WhY dID I—"

"Because like my Mom, I have pheromones. I can scare the heck outta someone, or unlike Mom, I can make someone tell the truth. I'm sorry I forced you." Gerry scratches down his chest painfully. "I wanted you to hear it. But… I also wanted to know." Kate's on the brink of tears.

"I've never told _anyone _those things. What makes you think you could just _do that_?" Gerry backs up and sits with his legs against his chest.

"I'm sorry." Gerry puts his hand over his eyes and sniffs. "I'm so sorry. I just thought yo—"

"—Get out," Kate hisses. Gerry stands up immediately. He tries to help Kate up but she slaps his hand away and stays in her ball on the floor. "Just go away." Gerry pulls at his hair and walks toward the door.

"I'm so sorry." He leaves before she can say anything more.

**8:02 PM **

"H-hi Uncle Pete." Gerry's voice is so monotone Peter doesn't even recognize it. He's looking down at his nephew from the front door of the Parker's apartment almost not recognizing this boy he's known so long. Peter looks behind him and shuts the door, leaving him and Gerry in the desolate green and tan hallway. "I-I wanted to know if Annie was home."

"Uh, no. She's at a friend's Birthday party."

"Oh…" Gerry nods with damp eyes and turns away. Peter puts a hand on Gerry's shoulder and turns him back around.

"Hey… what's going on?" Peter kneads his shoulder like Gerry loves, but he's too out of it to even feel it right now.

"You know that thing Mom hates doing? That thing that always makes her feel dirty after?"

"...Is this a sex thing?" Peter says with a quivering voice.

"...No." Gerry's face drops even more. "The pheromones. I used 'em." Peter's face changes from worry to understanding. "It wasn't the right time to do it."

"Mind if I give you some Spider-wisdom, kid?" Gerry shrugs. "Big yes. Ok." Peter tries to make his voice peppy like usual. "Is this girl related?" Gerry nods yes. "Oof." Peter scratches his chin. Like a bolt of light, he jumps up and Gerry gives him a strange look.

"Uh?"

Peter swings the front door open.

"MJ!"

"Huh?" She calls from somewhere inside.

"Come here!" Gerry takes a step back but Peter holds his arm and hugs him from the side. MJ walks loudly on the floor and peaks her head over the door.

"Hi sweetie!" Gerry tries to smile for her and half-way succeeds.

"You see this beautiful lady right here? Yep. Uh-huh. She's mine. _All _mine!" Peter reaches over and messes up her bangs. She slaps him away and jabs his side. "Well. There were way too many times I screwed that up."

"...Sure were," MJ huffs and glares at Peter.

"Yes, well." Peter smiles at her and closes the door again, leaving Gerry and MJ confused. "I screwed up so many times I can't even count. But look. We're _married. Finally. _We have a daughter we love, and we know _YOU _love, and we finally made a life we're happy with." Gerry nods a little, not really getting where this is going. "Gerry, what I'm tryna say is, I've _REALLY screwed up _some stuff in my life. Like dude I even got a whole company that rivaled the Fantastic Four pulled out from under me.* But I've finally landed on two feet. And if a screw up like me can do it, so can you." Peter pretends to drop a mic and Gerry shakes his head with a small smile.

"Maybe."

"Maybe is better than the pouty-face you were just laying on me!" Gerry shrugs. "You want ice cream?"

"...What kind?" Gerry's eyes are like a puppy's. Peter grins and opens the door again. MJ's already holding three bowls of strawberry ice cream with whip cream on top. "I'll take it." Gerry hands Peter his and then takes his own, scarfing it down. MJ and Peter both pet his back.

….

They continue petting and watching him eat.

"...This is weird. Please stop?" The two look at each other and give in.

**Two Days Later, 4:21 PM**

_Position toe on left side of nose. POP! Slide back foot up to the left of the board. Kick down in mid air. _The trick fails again.

"FUCK!" Gerry's voice echoes in the grimy alley a few blocks from school. He scratches his neck hard, leaving a mark, and kicks his board over on its wheels again. _Come on. KICK! _He lands primo, falling back on his elbows. "FUCK! _GOD_. DAMMIT!" He kicks his board and it snaps against the brick wall. He stays laying down, and he drops his head on the torn up concrete, looking up at the sky that's mostly blocked by rusty fire escapes.

His head won't stop thinking about all the mistakes he feels like he's made. _What was I thinking doing that and prying it out? If I just waited, she woulda told me in her own time. Probably. _Gerry sniffs the air and winces. _Dead animal meat. Sexy. _He sits up and stares at the chips of wood by his feet. _I don't wanna go get a new one. _He stares at the wall, feeling totally numb. _This is good. Feels better than before at least._

….

….

_THUNK! _

He jumps up when an arrow with a note attached to it lands a foot away from his head against the garbage can. _Thanks for the heads up spider-sense_. _Ya dick. _He looks up but doesn't see anyone nearby.

"Oh shit." It's a purple arrow. He looks up again, relief flooding his stomach. He pulls the letter off the arrow. It reads,

"The highest building near you. We need to talk." Gerry forgets his board and the trucks he's leaving behind, but thankfully remembers his backpack. He climbs desperately, not thinking at all about what she might say or what _HE might say. _He gets to the top and throws himself over like a drowning man who just found a rescue boat.

"Kate?" He looks around.

"Not Kate," comes a man's voice. Gerry spins and his eyes settled on greying-blonde hair.

"C-Clint Barton?" Gerry's actually surprised. Clint looks as haggard as he can for someone who's only fifty-two. He looks like he's lived a lot of life, but not the good kind. He's holding a beer can and leaning against the roof entrance in the shade.

"Yeah dude." His voice is gruff and he gulps down the last of the can. _CRUSH! _He throws it somewhere behind him. "So Kate called me up. That was weird. She sounded desperate. That was even weirder." Gerry puts a hand over his brows, struggling to see against the blinding sun. Clint kicks gravel up and it hits Gerry's bare legs. He's wearing purple flannel shorts that go just past his knees. "I'm not her keeper. I can't even keep myself. And it's… really weird that she's, you know… into _you_. But," Clint huffs and starts coughing, hitting his chest with a closed fist. "But that girl likes you." Gerry's chest puffs up a little bit. "She _really _likes you if she even bothered telling me." Gerry's face softens up.

"How come YOU had to come tell me?"

"Cuz Katie's real stubborn. She sticks with a side even if it isn't necessarily right. I'm… not much better. But. Yeah. I'm calling her out." Clint rubs his face. "You care about her?"

"Very much," Gerry says firmly.

"Go tell her how much." Gerry smiles and bows his head.

"Thank you." Clint gives him a surprised look but shakes his head at him.

"Don't worry about it." Gerry turns and is just about to hop off the building when Clint calls out again. "Hey! Get her a Babe Ruth bar! That's her favorite!" Gerry turns around with a big grin.

"I'll get her the whole damn _box_." He jumps off. Clint watches with a serious face.

….

"You look just like Jess…."

**Seven Stores, One Box of Babe Ruth's Later**

Before Kate can even speak, Gerry shoves the box of thirty-two bars at her through a small crack in the door.

"A little bird told me ya like these." Kate opens the door and gives him a suspicious look, taking them slowly.

"...Thank you."

"Hey I'm _seriously _sorry. I know it was wrong of me. _I know," _Gerry says sadly and desperately. "But you gotta believe me when I say I'll never do it again. _Ever!_" Kate nods with pursed lips.

"I believe you." Gerrys sighs in relief. She kicks the door open and he walks in, heart beating fast against his black dri-fit shirt and thin dark blue jean jacket with a patch of Evangelion Unit-01 and 00 on the shoulders. Kate puts the box on the kitchen table and smiles at them, tearing one open and handing him another. "Can't believe you got all these. That's like a whole shift at work."

"Half," he says, chewing it quickly. Kate walks toward him and he becomes stiff. She watches his neck, seeing that he swallowed when his thick adam's apple bobs up and down his throat. She takes her hand and holds the back of his neck, crushing her lips against his. "Hnn. _Kate_," he moans between closed-mouth kisses.

"You acted really mature about this," she whispers against his lips. "Gives me hope for our future." Gerry sees her smile again and he grins even wider.

"Future?"

"Mhm." Kate kisses him one more time, throwing half of her bar behind her and _just _landing it on the counter. _Must be a Hawkeye thing, _he thinks, amused. He shoves his wrapper in his pocket and gently wraps his arms around Kate's waist. He looks down between their bodies.

"Your shorts are cute."

"So are your pants…" she hums. "Tryna steal my color?" Gerry looks up at the ceiling with a grin.

"Maybe... Or maybe I just like that it makes me think of _you._" Kate rubs her hands over his cheeks and kisses him again, as softly as she can. They keep their faces close and look into each other's eyes. _I feel like I'm seeing into her, _Gerry thinks. _I feel like I'm looking into him… and for once, I'm not scared, _Kate thinks. Their foreheads touch and Gerry closes his eyes, not yet used to such intimacy. Kate keeps hers open and smiles gently, rubbing his face.

"I've only known you for a few days… but wow does it feel like I've always known you." Gerry nods.

"I feel the same way." Kate laughs at herself.

"I've never been such a sap my entire life. Soon I'll be serenading you."

"Please don't. That'd be too embarrassing."

"You're cute when you're embarrassed though," Kate says through her teeth.

"Nnno."

"Yes, baby." Gerry twitches at her raspy words.

"Hot," he says with his tongue caught between his teeth. "Speaking of hot." Gerry opens his eyes and reaches up with one hand, pressing it against her breast just barely. He looks down past his nose and tries kneading her breasts. Kate closes her eyes and breathes in.

"Mm, that's like one of my favorite things." She helpfully pulls away and peels her shirt off, showing him her black lace bra. Gerry's like a horse that just found water, and he ducks his head down to kiss the tops of her breasts. She leans her head back and parts her lips. "Hhn." He kneads with both hands now and Kate mewls. "Just take it off." Gerry jerks up.

"Can I really?" Kate nods with a needy look in her eyes. _GOD IF YOU'RE OUT THERE… THANK YOU! _He stops himself from throwing his hands up in prayer and instead lifts Kate by her waist upward. She takes the hint and wraps her legs around his waist.

"Look at you," she says, impressed.

"Fuck being nervous. I'm not screwin' around anymore." He walks them to the couch with ease and drops down, letting her get comfortable straddling his lap. She looks down at him with a smirk and unhooks her bra slowly. His eyes are glued to her breasts, and as soon the bra is off, he grabs them and licks a stripe between them.

"Oook," she says breathily. "So good. More. Please." She holds his head against her and he nips at her chest, worried he's being too hard. "Rougher baby." She drops her head back and closes her eyes. He looks up and his eyes nearly roll into the back of his head.

"_Kate _you look _so good._" He bites harder and her hips shift toward his. "Nn." He feels himself getting hotter all over and it starts to feel almost unbearable. He looks at a nipple before cautiously taking one in his warm mouth.

"_Yesss_." Kate presses him against her hard, messing his hair up with her thin fingers. Her quiet moans ring in his ears and he starts getting more and more spurred on, licking and biting harder and faster. "_Gerry_…" the way she says his name made him stop and look up at her. She looks down at him with parted lips and he can't take it anymore. He tugs one arm out of his shirt then takes it off completely, resting it neatly against the couch arm.

"I-I'm sorry, it's too hot in here." Kate doesn't listen, running her hands over every dip and curve of muscle bulging out on his torso. She sucks in a sharp breath and runs a thumb over his nipple. "A-ah. T-that feels pretty good, actually." She keeps doing it and Gerry starts _really _feeling it. He mimics what she's doing on him with _her's._

"_Fuck_," she moans, looking at him through her lashes. Kate rubs her waist against his really hard and he jerks up.

"N-no no no." Gerry stops touching and picks at the waist of his pants. "T-too much. I'm getting _way _too excited."

"Do you wanna…?" Gerry stares at her.

"Do YOU?" She nods with her lip caught between her teeth again. "God that's soooo hot." Gerry pulls her against him and bites her lip for him, sneaking his tongue into her mouth. She sucks on it and he groans. "Kate I-I'm that idiot that doesn't wanna sleep with anyone 'till I know I _really _like them. Is that… ok to you?" Kate calms herself down.

"It is. It's totally ok." Gerry seems hesitant still. "We can wait."

"I can't," he whines. Gerry holds her waist and flips her onto her back. Kate reflexively opens her legs and he slips between them, his erection rubbing her through her thin shorts.

"Oh _shit._" Kate closes her eyes and wraps her legs around his back.

"_Yes. Do that,_" he breathes against her collarbone. He starts running on pure instinct and rubs against her harder, getting louder and louder responses. "Hn-huh. T-this feels way better than it should."

"Uh-huh!" _My throat is gonna be raw tomorrow, I can already tell,_ Kate thinks. She starts moving with him and they're basically panting as if it's the real deal after just a few minutes. "Oh my—_dammit. _Take me to my room. _Please. PLEASE._"

"Don't beg me," he says quietly, lifting her up again.

"You're way too sweet," she grins, tapping him on the forehead.

"You won't be saying that in a few minutes when I screw up the… stuff. That we're about to do." Gery pushes the door open and Lucky rushes out, jumping up and scratching Kate's leg.

"Down! Ow." Gerry runs his finger over the cut lightly.

"I'll play with you later, doggy." Lucky sits down by the door and Gerry closes it, letting Kate down. She flips the light on and walks around the bed toward her dresser, seeming to be very comfortable topless. "I-I don't have any c-condoms."

"It's ok," Kate pulls one out from her underwear drawer and throws it at him, landing right in his hand. She pulls down her shorts but leaves on her underwear, moving up the bed and putting her weight on one arm.

"Should I um… do it now?" Kate's eyes are eating him up and he covers his erection with a closed fist.

"Come up here." Kate motions for him and he holds the condom for dear life while also trying to hide himself. "Don't feel weird." Kate pushes his hand back and he looks away. "Y-you look like there's nothing to worry about in the _size _department."

"Ehh," Gerry itches his neck. Kate can't take her eyes off it, and she unbuttons his pants. He hesitates, but he lifts his hips and he's just sitting in his tight boxers.

"Spider-Man huh?" Kate comments.

"...Don't tell my Uncle."

"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone about this." Kate reaches for the hem of his boxers and pulls them down an inch before he grabs her wrist and gives her a horrified look. His breath is uneven and his foot is shaking.

"Hang on. I'm sorry." Gerry hits his leg in frustration. "Fuck! Why can't I just do it. _DAMMIT._" _Maybe I'm a faggot like everyone loves to call me at school. _He grits his teeth.

"Gerry," she whispers against his ear, "I won't look if you don't want me to." He takes a minute to decide, but he ends up releasing her wrist.

"J-just… can we go slow?" His voice breaks at the end and Kate patiently nods her head. She looks down and Gerry watches her face turn into disbelief. He feels his penis pop over the hem and he winces.

"Oh… my God. You're… _huge._"

"N-no." Gerry's as red as his Mom's old costume right now.

"No," she looks at him like 'how do you not believe me,' and continues. "It's like… the biggest I've seen."

"Alright, alright." Gerry looks away again.

"You're a lucky boy but… _unhh _am I a lucky woman right now." Gerry almost laughs. She gets on her knees and pulls his clothes down the rest of the way. She stares at it again before taking it in her hand.

"Hh-nnr." Gerry digs his fingers into her silk sheets. She starts pumping him really slow and he's already dripping with pre-cum.

"Really appreciate the shaving. That's nice."

"Not into hair. Anywhere," he grunts. She noticed his legs were shaved too. She grips harder and gives him a little more of a tug. His hips jerk up once or twice, and she pauses, licking her lips.

"May I give you head?" Gerry's eyes widen greatly and he nods dramatically. "Mm." Kate hungrily takes him in, and from how she's bent he can still hold onto her ass.

"_Wow. WOW._" He laughs and rubs his forehead. She sucks hard on his head and he jerks into her mouth. She doesn't choke, thankfully. _I'd be so sad if I made her do that, _he thinks. She bobs her head up and down, able to take more than half of his seven and a half inches. She runs a fingertip over his testicles and his breath hitches. "_Argh. _K-Kate I wanna do you now." She lets him go with a pop.

"Your superhuman stamina… does it work good with orgasms?" Gerry tightens his lips and nods yes. "Then you can do me in a minute. I want to taste you too much." Gerry's body shivers uncontrollably and he fully rests against the headboard and holds her head gently. She sucks hard and swirls her tongue around his head while jerking his base.

"Shit. Shit." He bites back a moan.

"Be loud. I _love _hearing a man moan." Gerry watches Kate who's focusing on him intensely. She sucks and pumps him, but as soon as she straddles his leg, and he feels just how wet she is _because of HIM, _he can't hold it back.

"I-I'm gonna do it!" He tries moving her head out the way, but she shoves him further into her mouth. "H-hnn! _K-Ka—NRGH!_" His thick cum coats her tongue and her eyes widen. She swallows every drop before coming up and looking at him with wide eyes. "W-what?"

"H-how the fuck?" Kate covers her mouth with one hand. Gerry gets increasingly worried, and he leans forward, wiping hair from her face. "How the _FUCK _do you taste like milk chocolate?"

"O-oh…" he chuckles. "In a strange turn of events, I overheard my parents… doing stuff." He gags before continuing. "Apparently Ma got a nice taste of Oreo."

"Gy-hahahah!" Kate collapses onto the sheets and spits all over them while laughing hysterically. "Oh my GOD! Your body is _perfect_." Gerry nods, laughing quietly with lazy eyes. He's feeling sort of spent from the amount he came. He tugs weakly on Kate's arm and she crawls up next to him, leaning her forehead against his jaw.

….

"If you still want to go in me—"

"—Oh trust me. I do."

"Alright then," she says raspily, "It's been a while since I've had a real man. So… go easy, ok?"

"No problem. Just tell me what to do. Please?"

"Yeah…" Kate rips the condom open that's thrown on top of her pillow, and she puts it on Gerry. She kisses him and licks along his bottom lip, letting herself in his mouth. He holds her back and she leans down, head on her pillow. She spreads her legs and he gets between them. "Take them off." Gerry shakily hooks his fingers into her underwear and pulls them down.

"_Fuuuuck_." He drops his head on her stomach and breathes in hard. _So wet. _He gets up again and pulls them off completely, using his finger to catch a string of spider-like cum that's stuck to her leg. He licks it off his middle finger and it's Kate's turn to swear. She teases him by running a hand over her breast and down her stomach until she reaches her clitoris, rolling two fingers around it.

"Go in me with two fingers." Gerry gets the tips of his fingers in and freezes.

"WOOO. Shit. Heh. Oh man. Pffff. Pfff." Kate waits for him and after a minute, he goes in knuckle deep.

"-u_ung_."

"T-tight," he groans.

"Turn your fingers like this." She shows him the motion and he does it perfectly. "Good. Move in me." Gerry does it, holding onto her hip bone too. "So good baby." Her head tilts back and her jaw tightens. She feels filled but then she starts thinking about how filled she'll be in just a few minutes. "Mmmn." Without her telling him, he starts moving quicker. "_Perfect baby. _Hnm." He moves even faster and it's right on the verge of too hard but she loves it. Her hips rock with him and her legs are spread as wide as they can be. She looks down to see him taking her all in, eyes roaming everywhere. "You want in?" Gerry nods enthusiastically with a wanting look in his eyes. She sits up and kisses him hard, pulling his fingers out before shoving them in her mouth.

"F_fuckkkk._"

"I'm ready when you are," she says seductively. Gerry leans her back fast and holds his arms out straight next to her head. She holds him to lead it in. "Lower. There. MMM." Her brows furrow and Gerry watches her face intensely.

"S-so tight, I-I didn't think i-it'd feel like that." Kate holds his back and uses her legs to press him in deeper. She groans, trying to take him all in.

"Hhhm. Y-you're a little big for me right now." Gerry pulls back but she pushes him in again. "You can stretch me out." Gerry groans loudly in her ear and presses his mouth against her shoulder.

"T-this is really happening."

"Yeah. It is, baby." She rubs his back soothingly, still feeling like he's opening her up. "Move for me." He goes in and she groans so he moves back a little too fast, nearly coming out.

"I'm sorry," he says, looking at her face.

"It's ok. Keep trying." Gerry tucks his head into her neck and kisses softly, groaning when he feels her insides contract around him. He starts painfully slow but after a few minutes, they build toward a moderate to fast speed. Their breaths get louder and louder against each other's faces.

"This is really happening. Holy… _nnf_. So awesome. You feel awesome. This is awesome." Gerry slows down and pulls nearly all the way out, then slams himself in.

"_Mmmm!_" Kate can't think of words anymore. Her body is swimming with chemicals and all she can do right now is feel. Gerry lowers himself onto his forearms and she grips his triceps for dear life when he hits her g-spot repeatedly. "Fff_mmnk!_" Her neck is straining and her teeth are grinding together.

"Am I being—nt— too hard? I could really—ff— hurt you by accident." Kate looks at him and shakes her head. She becomes transfixed with his eyes and she holds his head close to her. Gerry keeps eye contact but sometimes looks away, feeling worried he doesn't look good doing such an intimate thing.

"Has anyone ever told you how handsome you are?" Kate's surprised she even got words out. He stops for a second then quickly starts again.

"...My parents," he says with a laugh. "I-I'm ok."

"No." Kate grits her teeth when he starts moving faster. She watches his face get more and more in ecstasy and her mouth wettens. _I'm starting to think this is the hottest thing I've ever seen in my life, _Kate thinks. "_More_ than o—mm—ok. Gerry you're _gorgeous_, are you —hhty—kidding?" Gerry says nothing but smiles thankfully. Kate contracts inside again and Gerry closes his eyes and puffs out air.

"I-I can't. I can't h-hold it." Kate grins.

"I'm getting really close too. You can finish before me."

"No way. I want same time." He waits for Kate, and she slips her hand between them and starts rubbing her clitoris again. He gives her a moment before he moves hard into her. Gerry's trying to strain himself so he blocks his sperm off. It works.

"Is this the part—_nmmm—_in your little fantasies wh—_hmmg—where _you tell me to cum for you?" Gerry slows down and looks directly into her glossy blue eyes.

"No," he says sweetly, "This is the part where I tell you I love you." Kate freezes and Gerry looks at her with something that she feels doesn't expect anything back. It makes her feel comforted like she hasn't felt before with a man.

"I… I'm starting to get there too." Gerry doesn't know if she means orgasm-wise or love-wise, but he doesn't push it.

"Tell me when," he softly says against her lips, resting his forehead on hers and shutting his eyes. Kate feels like she is on the brink of exploding, and she rubs herself quickly and roughly, making her own head spin. "_Nhh, Kate._" He jerks super fast in and out of her and she feels him fill her up completely. She moans loudly and her chest arcs up. "K-Kate. _Fffmm._" She tries to speak but nothing comes out but moans. She holds his neck and he looks at her. Her mouth is open with loud chocolate smelling breaths, and he understands. "Do it," he moans. His fists grip her sheets, tearing them slightly by accident, but he doesn't even think about it with how fast he's moving. His testicles throb and his penis shoots a hot load, weighing down the tip of his condom. Kate finishes hard, scratching down his back and moaning against the underside of his jaw. Her moan almost sounds like a scream and it makes Gerry's heart soar. She goes limp, dropping her legs and stretching them out. Gerry pulls out and flops onto his back.

….

"DUDE. Dude I jus—I fucki—ARGH!" Gerry sits up and she laughs breathily as he excitedly punches at the air. He leans over to her and kisses the words right off her tongue. He sits up again with the biggest smile she's probably ever seen in her life. _He's like… glowing, _she notices. "Nrnrnnrnrrn. _Brrr._" She giggles again and he makes what sounds like a dinosaur noise just to make her laugh more. She sits up and pulls a tissue out of the box on her bedside table and holds it at the bottom of his penis. He helps pull it off and and thick bits of him leak onto the tissue. "Gross," he whispers.

"It's not." She breathes in and her head drops forward. "Ungh it smells like fucking cherriesssssss." Gerry sniffs.

"I just smell jizz," he laughs. Kate pulls it all off and tosses it into the small tin can nearby. She crosses her ankles over each other and runs her hands over him. Gerry holds her loosely with one arm while his eyes roam over her muscular but thin frame. "You're pretty, Kate."

"You too." She kisses his jaw, nipping softly, and he closes his eyes and tilts his head.

"That feels amazing."

"YOU felt amazing, babe."

"You too, Kate." Gerry's penis twitches against his leg and he shifts uncomfortably. "God it like… hurts." Kate looks down at it and runs her hand over it's head. "F-arh." He winces so she keeps her hand close without touching.

"I think it's cuz it's your first time. You're not used to it yet." Kate fixes her hair. "I'm gonna be so sore tomorrow," she says with a grin. Gerry nods in agreement and helps her straighten out her hair, finishing with a kiss on her chin. "Gerry… what you said when we were close…" Gerry looks up and realization hits his face. He looks at her with a worried smile. "Were you lying?"

"Not at all," he says with ease. "I…" Gerry looks at her and grips her hand. "I don't wanna scare ya off. I'm sorry." Kate bites her lip in thought.

….

"I do too," she admits. Gerry holds back the overwhelming emotion that's sitting heavy on his chest. "I think I'm really starting to," she clears her throat, "L-like you. Well… um, more. More than like." Gerry's body relaxes and he uses her torso to hold him up. She smiles down at his head. They stay like this, holding each other and sharing kisses for a long time.

*Superior Spider-Man Vol. 1 and Nick Spencer's The Amazing Spider-Man.


	6. There's Been a Death in the Family

**10:45 PM, The Same Night**

He opens the door with a huge grin that's hurting his face. His heart's still fluttering and honestly, he doesn't even feel like his feet are touching the floor.

"Ma! Ma, come 'er!" He hops over the back of the couch and lands hard.

"Mrrrw!" Chewie's body jumps up from the pressure of his fall.

"Whoops. Heh." Carol walks out of the bedroom looking like she was just passed out hard. "Ma what the hell are you doing sleeping at this time? You turnin' into an old lady?" Carol's nose twitches and she falls on the couch next to him, holding Chewie in her arms.

"Whaddya want, kid?" Gerry looks behind her head toward her bedroom.

"So… Kate n' I, uh…" Gerry taps his leg and Carol grins slightly.

"Nice." Carol rubs his head and he purrs like Chewie, laying his chin on Carol's chest.

"Yes. Pet me!"

"Yeah yeah," Carol huffs. She scratches at his ear. Jessica walks out the bedroom and starts heating up the cow kettle MJ got her a year back. "Was it good though?"

"Oh my Goddddd," Gerry groans and sits up, looking at Carol with big eyes. "Amazing, she was _so _good."

"Um. Pardon?" Jessica leans over the stove with a horrified look. "You're not talking about what I think you are… right?" Gerry and Carol cringe, slowly looking away from Jessica. "Oh _no. _I'm covering my ears. This is our _baby _Carol, don't encourage him!" As promised, she holds her palms against her ears and hums loudly. Gerry and Carol laugh with tongues caught between their teeth.

"Did you tell Annie?"

"Not yet but… _HO MAN. _I will. That'd be wrong if I didn't. Don't brother and sister always tell each other that stuff?"

"I wasn't close to my brothers at all." Jessica takes her hands off her ears but continues quietly humming while Carol speaks. "It's alright, I'm glad you have Annie."

"Yeah, heh. Me too." Gerry feels a weird pull to hug Carol, so he does. Carol hugs him back with a laugh. The kettle starts whistling and Jessica moves it back from the flame.

"_Wow! _Let me take a picture!" Gerry and Carol let go at the mention of a camera. "Oh come on, I wasn't _really _going to."

"Yeah ya were," they say in unison. Jessica shrugs and throws her leaves in the drainer, pouring herself a cup.

"Anyone want tea?"

"Only if you put those rock candies in it," Gerry says, hugging Carol again.

"I will. What do you think I am?" Gerry lets go of his Ma and reaches out for his cup, hissing loudly.

"GIRL!" He nearly spills it, shaking at the heat. Jessica sighs and takes the cup back.

"Fine. I'm your sacrificial lamb." Jessica sips her tea with no problem, and sits close to Gerry. "Also, where's _my _hug?" Gerry groans and crosses his arms.

"I dunno Mom." Jessica glares at him and he glares back with a smile on his face. Jessica sets down their cups and looks at him with a scary smile. "Hang on, heh." Carol backs away with Chewie and Jessica's hand inches closer and closer to Gerry's side. "Mom no. Please?"

"Sorry love." She assaults his side and he squeaks, flailing on the couch.

"Mom! _PLEASE!_" She digs her fingers into his ribs, holding him against the couch. Carol ignores him and kisses Chewie's head.

"Alright, alright." Jessica stops.

"Phew." Gerry rests his head against the back pillow.

"Kisses now."

"Nnoooo." Jessica pulls him against her and kisses all over his head. "Ew. Ew. Ew."

"Mwah mwah mwah!"

"Stoppppp," he struggles in her arms like a fish out of water and gives in by hugging her shoulders. "I'll hug alright? Just stoppppp."

"Good boy." She hugs him tight.

"Oh lemme get in on it too," Carol says and hugs his back.

"Ugh."

"Mrww…" Chewie steps on Carol's legs and tucks herself against Gerry who scratches her back.

"Love you, Gerry." Jessica kisses the side of his head one more time, pressing her lips against him hard. _I hope you're treated well, _she thinks bitter-sweetly.

**Next Day, 10:11 AM**

"Ugh," Kate whines from the pit of her throat. It's so hot and sticky out." Gerry grins but says nothing. Kate gives him a dirty smirk. "Unlike me right now."

"Whaaa?" Gerry slaps his chest. "That's just cuz you aren't putting _out_tttt right now."

"Um excuse me? What'd you say to me, little boy?" Kate gets on her tippy toes and pretends to be threatening. Gerry pushes her back lightly.

"You heard me. SKANK!"

"Wowwwww," Kate laughs. "You wanna get hit?"

"DO IT!" Kate throws her hand back and he ducks away with a heartfelt laugh. "Yeah kick my ass, Daddy."

"Ugh," Kate rubs her forehead. "I'm dating a fuckin' weirdo."

"Blame my Ma." The two of them have big smiles on their faces walking hand in hand down Lafayette Street. Kate's holding a large duffle over her shoulder that she refuses to let Gerry hold for her. "Hey, thanks for waking with. Supreme can be annoying as hell to wait for. Since it's Thursday especially."

"No worries baby." Her lips smack against his jaw. "Besides. Supreme still kills it with their marketing and overall business model. Helped me out a lot when I was just starting up my line."

"Have I mentioned how fuckin' nice your clothes fit by the way?" Kate smiles appreciatively. "No really. Even before I met you, I've been buying your shit. The flannel stuff fucks me up." Realizing that her body wasn't going to be able to go on being Hawkeye forever, six years ago Kate decided to use up the last of her contacts from her childhood and started sowing samples of her own original clothing. 'Purple and Blue' has just opened a store on Lafayette three blocks from Supreme as of last winter. It's one of the proudest feelings Kate's ever had in her life.

"Thanks," Kate says and hugs him from the side. Gerry goes through his typical routine of sneaking around the back of Supreme and knocking on the door through the back alley. _Way too many fuckin' hypebeasts these days, _he thinks. The door opens and one of his good friends (so that guy thinks) pumps his fist.

"Your girl?"

"Yeah," Gerry says proudly.

"Bro that's fuckin' Hawk!" Gerry nods and Kate waves at the brash tall and lanky twenty-something. "You're cool as hell yo."

"Glad _someone _thinks so," she chuckles.

"Yo is Aidan in here?"

"That fucker's at home dude. He pissed me off yesterday. Like just cuz ya got ta be in the lookbook three times, fuck off fo thinkin' we owe up." Danny waves for Kate and Gerry to come into the small back room and Kate leans against Gerry.

"Hey, he still shreds unlike half the dumbasses in that room over there," Gerry defends. Danny huffs and crosses his arms.

"Whatchu need today, boy?" Gerry rubs his forehead.

"Wanted to pick up those new Ultra Ranges. Low. N' that snake board."

"Aight." Danny jumps around the corner and walks into the main store, steering his way around the crowd. Gerry takes the alone time to kiss Kate on the nose and hug her tight.

"Sorry 'bout him. He's… intense." Kate shrugs. "Hey… I know your brand is all about doing its own thing. But if you _could _collab with Supreme, would ya?"

"In a heartbeat."

"Good ta know." Gerry kisses her head and Kate looks up at him with a small surprised smile.

"'Ey. Just pay fer the Vans but the board is on us." Gerry shakes his head and lets go of Kate.

"Nah dude I don't wann—"

"—Come on. Ya fuckin' killed it in that last video. Even if ya did take my fuckin' spot, cunt." Gerry laughs and takes out his cash. "'Sides, Birthday's tomorrow ain't it?" Kate raises a brow and hits Gerry's arm.

"What? You didn't even tell me that!" Gerry shrugs with a weary look.

"I don't want you ta get me anything." Kate glares. _Ridiculous_. With the speed of light she whips out her credit card and hands it to Danny's sweaty palm.

"Throw something else in there he wants."

"Hey hey hey!" Gerry tries to protest. Danny smirks and gives Kate a shake of his head.

"Youz a cool lady." Danny runs back out and stuffs her card in his wide front pocket. Gerry looks at Kate disapprovingly.

"Don't worry. I'll get you something more personal later." Gerry throws his head back.

"No but that's badddd," he croaks, running his hand through his hair that's growing in on the sides. Kate cuts him off with a sharp kiss and rubs his neck, pushing the duffle bag further up her shoulder.

"You're so gorgeous, Gerry." She kisses his neck and holds his hand. Danny walks around the corner with a big Supreme bag and a board in his other hand. Gerry takes the board and nods appreciatively.

"Aight. Your shoes are in der n' somethin' extra." He looks at Kate with a creepy squint in his eyes and she grabs the bag and her card quickly.

"Thanks," Kate says with a small wave. Gerry opens the back door and holds it for Kate.

"See you Danny." _DFT. _Gerry rolls his eyes and puts his arm over Kate's shoulders. "Let's go take care of your stuff now."

"I just have to drop off some samples. Also…. You were in a skate video?" Kate leads him down the alley and he follows side by side with her.

"Yeah. Been in two of theirs." Gerry scratches his chin and holds onto the Supreme bag for Kate. "I got the ender. That was a big deal. It was a dream come true."

"I dunno how skate stuff works. Explain it to me." She kicks a sharp can under the closest dumpster.

"Well. I dunno what to say really but. I can show you tricks n' stuff. Usually skate stuff starts with flow, then amateur, then pro. I'm flow I guess, meanin' I get free shit. But I'm sorta an amature level dude cuz flows don't usually get in vids. Supreme's a classic team though. Some of the best for sure. But no one gives a shit cuz Supreme's a hypebeast nest now. Sucks."

"Do you skate a lot?"

"Yeah like every second I have time."

"How come you don't pursue it further?"

"Well…" Gerry rubs his head and drags his heels over the busted up pavement. "Well like… Skaters don't like me. I got powers so they think I'm a cheat."

"Bullshit."

"Yup," Gerry clicks his tongue and Kate lets go of his hand to unlock the back door of her shop. _Crrrrrk. _Kate shuts the door behind him and the store is totally quiet. "Oh yeah it's not open Thursdays right?" Kate shakes her head and flips on a blinding LED light as well as tossing the duffle bag on a two seater pressed against a small white wall.

"The lines next door overlap the entrance too often on Thursdays." _ZIPP! _She pulls out neatly folded clothes and hangs them carefully on black velvet hangers up on a long clothing rack. Gerry sets his things down on the white tiled floor and puts a hand to his mouth with a smile hidden behind it.

"Wow. Are these part'a the new line?"

"Part of it, yes." Kate hangs the eighth piece up and puts her hands on her hips, taking a big step back. "Put your hands all over it! Tell me what you think." Gerry wipes his hands against his black jean jacket to wipe any oils away before he checks out the two new pairs of pants. One pair is black with a blow out in one knee. They're straight fit. The other is skinny fit with deep pockets and ribbing on the sides of the thighs. One of the new women's shirts have a cut out in the back with a checkered pattern, and another shirt has one shoulder cut out only with a low cut on the breasts. The men's clothes include thin pinstripe pants with her logo (an arrow tip) embroidered on at the cuffs, and the new shirt is a polo with a pinstripe collar and sleeves while the torso is either black or blue.

"I really like the stripes. Is there more too?"

"Mhm," Kate picks fuzz of the men's pants. "They're already at the warehouse." Gerry pops his knuckles and checks around the corners of the room. Kate walks to the couch and bends over to grab her bags. "Nff!" Kate uses her hands to catch herself on the couch when Gerry grabs her hips and roughly rocks into her backside repeatedly.

"Brbrbrbrbrbrb!" Gerry laughs and continues his playful thrusts. Kate looks back at him with an amused smirk.

"Bunny fucking?"

"For days," he says, finally stopping and letting Kate grab her bags. He groans when he realizes he's half-hard, and he turns away, embarrassed. "I got two more classes to go to today. So I better head over there now." Kate throws his bag into the duffle and reaches for his deck on the floor. "I can take these all over to your place. Is your Mom home?"

"Uh," Gerry gives her a hesitant look and opens the door, holding it for Kate with his foot, "Would you really _wanna _do that?" Kate pats his waist and locks up the shop.

"It's no big deal."

**11:22 AM**

_Knock Knock_

Kate hears a cat meowing on the other side of the door accompanied by a sassy mocking of the cat's noise. Kate rolls her eyes and fixes her full-bangs.

_Crrk. _Jessica stares at her for a second before wetting her mouth and saying,

"Hello. Everything alright?" Kate shakes her head and taps her toes on the ground.

"Fine. I had something I was gonna ask you about for Gerry's birthday." Jessica raises a brow and _ahems _before moving out of the doorway. Kate walks in with a confident smirk and removes her heels. "See how nice that knocking was by the way? It didn't make you feel like you'll have to call your landlord later, huh?" Jessica rolls her eyes hard and opens her fridge.

"Want anything?"

"I'm good." Jessica hums and pulls out a cup of water for herself. "So Gerry said you teach him how to ride your bike a lot?"

"I do, yes." Jessica kicks a chair back and drops herself into it, throwing a leg over her knee. Her tight pants make her legs look amazing and Kate groans. _This lady has like the epitome of a perfect body. Bull. Shit. _Kate looks at the floor tiles that are diamond shaped and runs a hand through her hair.

"So would you mind if I got him a bike?" Jessica coughs on her water and wipes the corner of her mouth with her thumb.

"That's incredibly expensive," Jessica's brows creep up her forehead, "Especially so soon into… a _relationship_," Jessica mumbles. Kate drops her head back then snaps it forward.

"Not like I care about the money. You can only buy yourself so many things before it's boring." Jessica nods and drinks again. "...And it's not like I'm planning on dumping him anyway." She says it firmly and keeps steady yet pleading eye contact. _Please understand me. Please realize how much I care about Gerry, _Kate thinks. Jessica nods slowly and sets her water down.

"Glad to hear," Jessica says softly, holding their eye contact. Jessica bends down, petting Chewie who's splayed out on the cool tiles under the kitchen table. This gives her a chance to hide her face that has worry etched all over it. She takes a shaky breath and comes back up, watching Kate awkwardly put her feet back into her heels. "You… you don't have to leave so soon you kn—"

"—_KFF!_" Jessica's eyes widen and she pushes her chair back, _SCCCCCRT-ing _on the floor. "_KFF!_" Jessica bends under the table and soothingly pets Chewie's body. Kate doesn't even take of her heels before she dropped to her knees and crawled behind Jessica.

"Shit. Don't do this _now_ Chewie." Jessica's voice is pleading and she feels hot anxiety burn up her face. "Gerry's birthday is tomorrow, come on girl." Chewie continues huffing and coughing, her eyes wide. She looks so _scared_ and it makes Jessica's shoulders drop. Jessica sniffs hard when Chewie doesn't stop. Kate feels a lump in her throat and she tries swallowing. It doesn't work. Jessica's shoulders shake and she holds Chewie in her arms, falling backwards with her weight and sitting on her butt with legs crossed. Chewie's looking up at her with her part of her tongue hanging out of her mouth, breathing quickly. Jessica makes a small whine and bites her bottom lip hard, leaving marks from her teeth.

Kate and her are sitting side by side, saying nothing. _I don't know if I should leave, or if I should stay…. _Kate watches Chewie and thinks of how Clint described Lucky the First acting when _he _died. Kate's lip quivers thinking about how awful she felt even just experiencing that death second-hand. _Gerry. _Kate's eyes close tightly. _He's gonna be so hurt if he can't see Chewie before she goes. _Kate clenches her fist.

"Jessica," she says quietly and somewhat cautiously. "Should I tell Gerry to come home?"

….

Jessica looks at Chewie's sweaty body, and something in her knows this is the last day. Her breath hitches in her throat and she looks away, hiding her face from Kate.

"I'll call him out." Jessica stands, weakly using the table to help herself up. She walks Chewie over to the couch and rests Chewie on the silky blanket she always sleeps on. Jessica gets her phone out and clicks on Gerry's name. She looks at his picture in her contacts and lets out a sharp cry of frustration into her palm. The picture is of him when he was four, laying in his bed with his arm around Chewie. Kate walks behind Jessica, and without saying anything, she pulls Jessica against her, turning her head so Jessica's shoulder is touching her cheek.

….

Jessica puts her phone up to her ear and calls the school.

….

Kate lets go once the phone call is over, and Jessica staggers backward a step, as if Kate was the one who was holding her up.

"They're telling him to come now." Jessica tugs at the hair at the base of her skull. "...I have to tell Carol too." Jessica looks at Kate with glossy eyes and pokes her tongue against her cheek.

"Oh God," Kate looks at her feet. "I'm gonna have to see Captain Marvel cry." Kate shivers at the thought.

"You can leave."

….

Kate looks up to a broken look on Jessica's face and she feels her stomach drop down to the floor. Her heart throbs. Her skin burns.

"Do you think I should?" Kate asks with hesitance and wrings her thin hands together. Jessica looks at Chewie again who's breaths are becoming shallower.

"I… I think Gerry's gonna want a place to go to. Somewhere not here." Kate nods and walks to the door, trying to make almost no noise, holding her breath. "...Thank you for not leaving a moment ago." Kate opens the door and pauses.

"I'm here for Gerry. But the more serious we get, I'd hope you will feel I'm there for all of you." Jessica shrugs, weakly smiling with reddened eyes.

**Gerry Comes Home**

He's hovering over Chewie's frail body spread out on the couch. His weight is crushing his wrists that are attached to his heavy palms that are flat against the couch cushions. His hot tears drop onto Chewie's dingy hair and roll off her. He can't say a word, and his breaths break through the humid air of the apartment. Jessica's on her shaking knees besides him, shushing his crying while swallowing her own. Carol's sitting on the strong armrest with her back to them, crying silently into her sleeve, too scared to turn around and show that side of herself to her son. Gerry chokes on his cries and drops his face into the cushions next to Chewie's.

"_GYT—_" he sobs into them, trying to muffle the sounds by smashing his face against the leather. His body shakes violently and his hands tremble. "C—_chewie!_" He cries loudly, completely incapable of holding back his cries any longer. Jessica rubs his shoulders with her twitching hands and shuts her eyes to keep the tears from falling. Carol cries harder into her sleeve, leaving marks from her costume on her face.

"We're gonna take her now ok?" Jessica talks slowly, trying her hardest to keep her voice from cracking. Gerry nods pitifully against his arms and cries louder. "Do you want to go?" He shakes his head no. Jessica looks at Carol's back and immediately notices the twitch in her shoulders. Jessica stands up, legs shaking under her, and she wraps Chewie up in her blanket, leaving her head out. Gerry doesn't move from his spot on the floor and Jessica cradles Chewie against her chest. Jessica squats in front of Carol whose eyes are puffy and red. Carol refuses to look at her, staring instead at Jessica's feet. Jessica softly pulls Carol's hand away from her mouth and holds that hand. "You ready to go?" Carol says nothing, making a hiss.

….

Carol stands up and reaches for Chewie, hugging her tightly and breathing her scent in.

"I'm gonna go alone," Carol says so low Jessica has to really try to hear her. Jessica kisses Chewie's head then kisses Carol's leaky nose. Carol looks over her shoulder at Gerry whose gone silent. His face is still in the cushion and his body is still trembling.

….

_FWOOOSH! _Carol flies out to where her ship is docked at the edge of Maine, right where she grew up. She gets in the ship quietly, noticing Chewie is no longer making noise. She refuses to look down. It feels like a long walk, but she finally sits down in the pilot seat with Chewie in her lap.

"This was the ship you snuck onto. Remember that? Rocket almost blasted you away. He was scared of you." Carol chuckles quietly. "Imagine that."

….

Chewie's breaths become even smaller, and she jerks, legs becoming stiff and digging into Carol's lap. Carol bites down on her tongue. Looking past her nose to see Chewie looking up at her. Chewie's eyes are still as innocent as the first day Carol saw her, and Carol watches a tear roll down her own nose.

"Love you, cat."

….

Chewie dies, and Carol closes Chewie's eyes for her.

….

Carol flies her into space and lets her go.

….

….

….

**7:04 PM, The Same Night**

Gerry refused to talk to his parents since it happened, and he hasn't checked his phone since he texted Annie the news. Just when he thinks no tears are left, he thinks about that look on Chewie's face and the raw ache he felt in his chest comes up fresh in his mind again. Right now he's laying on his back, fully dressed in the clothes he wore all day, and stares at the familiar ceiling.

…..

_SNIFF! _

…..

His mind drifts to Kate, and even if just a little, his pain is somewhat numbed. He pulls up a picture of her online and stares at her face. She has a freckle just beside her nose that's very faint, and her dark blue eyes have specks of light blue in them. He noticed she likes slightly-winged eyeliner in combination with pale blush and light pink lipstick. His heart hammers in his chest just looking at her face, and it makes his swollen eyes crinkle when he smiles.

"I love you," he breathes out into the damp air.

….

He drops his phone onto his stomach with a loud _FLOP! _

….

_Knock. Knock._

….

"Baby," Gerry sits up quickly, "It's me." Gerry rubs at his eyes hard, hearing them make a creaking noise against his dry eyelids. He stands up and runs to his long mirror on the back of his closet. His hair is a mess and his diamond black and white box logo tee is wrinkled and scrunched up his sides. He flattens it out, pulling his pants up his waist and dropping his hands at his sides. He looks at his face and drops his head against his mirror. _THUNK! _A small crack forms on the glass. He breathes heavily against it, fogging it up.

….

"Gerry… I'm gonna come in ok?"

….

_Creeeeak. Shttt. _Kate leans against the closed door and looks at Gerry who's back is away from her. He rubs roughly at his eyes again, making them more red. Kate waits a minute before speaking.

"Lucky's at home waiting for you…" Gerry doesn't say anything. "How about you pack a bag and stay with me tonight?"

….

Gerry peels his face off the glass and keeps his back to Kate, opening and closing drawers inside his closet, throwing clothes messily into a small drawstring bag with Pikachu flipping everyone off on it. He finally turns to her, giving her a pleading look that begs her not to comment on his appearance right now. She respects him entirely, opening his door again and walking him through the apartment, holding his cold hand. Carol's in her bedroom and Jessica's sitting at the kitchen table eating cold lasagna. Gerry says nothing and walks out. Kate waves to Jessica who smiles tiredly back at her.

They get to Kate's apartment without speaking the whole way.

"_RUFF! RUFF!" _Lucky jumps on Gerry's legs and licks his t-shirt. She gives off such a happy energy that Gerry can't help but feel it too. He rubs her head and she nuzzles his side. His lips turn upward, and Kate watches with a smile of her own, holding a tall glass of water for him.

"Down Lucky." Lucky does it, but still circles around Gerry's legs, rubbing her tail on him. Kate hands him the water, and he drinks, wincing at the feel of the cold water against his shredded throat. "Do you want to take a shower?" Gerry shrugs.

"Could you…" Gerry's voice is raspy and he finds it hard to speak like nails are dragging against his adams apple. "Could you take one with me?" Kate raises a brow, slightly surprised to hear such a bold request.

"Ok." Gerry grins and walks toward the bathroom. Every movement feels slow and sluggish that he makes, and his ears ache and hum. Kate closes the bathroom door and Lucky lays down next to it outside. She walks past Gerry in the tight bathroom and runs the water. _Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. _"Give me a second to grab some clothes." Gerry wipes his eyes and watches her leave. He sets down his bag on the small counter and he pulls his shirt off. Nothing goes through his mind, he just listens to himself breathe, conscious of the way his lungs constrict. He pulls his pants off and then his underwear. He pulls back the polka dot shower curtain and steps in. The hot water beats down on him, and he doesn't notice Kate until he feels her small hands press against his lower back.

"Kate…" Gerry looks at her while wetting his hair. "Thank you." She nods with a sad smile on her lips and squirts cherry scented gel into her palm.

"May I rub this on you?" Gerry nods and cleans his hair that's growing in about an half-inch on the sides. _I really need to get a haircut again. Ungh, that feels good. _Gerry watches Kate's hands graze over his skin, and his lips part when he watches the focus on her face when she washes near his penis. She looks up at him through her lashes and he hooks his finger under her chin, turning her head up. He kisses her softly, and they both melt into it, slumping against each other. The water pours over their heads and beads down their faces. They pull apart quickly and Kate washes herself before they help each other dry off and tuck themselves under her silk covers.

"These sheets feel amazing," Gerry comments. Kate turns on the TV on her dresser and turns the volume low. The light flickers different colors over the otherwise dark room, and Lucky's asleep on her big white bed in the corner of the room with her head resting on a Wolverine chew toy. Gerry and Kate have their arms tucked under their heads facing each other. Kate tries to keep a smile on her face and it makes Gerry feel a hundred times better. He looks at her face and studies every inch. "You're stunning."

"No you are." Gerry shakes his head at her.

"No Kate," he presses his lips to hers firmly and speaks against her mouth with peppermint breath, "_You're _really beautiful." Kate's heart stops and she hates to admit it. She rubs her nails up and down his arm that's holding her waist under the covers. They stare at each other's lips before leaning in for a long breathless kiss. Gerry gets his hand under her shirt and struggles to undo her bra. She grins and lifts herself up, letting him try using two hands to do it. He does after a moment of fumbling between kissing. She takes her shirt off and chucks her bra away, taking his hands and pressing them against her breasts. "...So good," he groans.

"Mmm," she hums soothingly. Gerry sits up and so does she. He pulls his shirt off and Kate runs her tongue over his chest.

"_Fffuck_." Kate sucks on his chest muscle and he pinches her nipples, tugging them rougher than she likes.

"Softer," she breathes against his neck. He does it perfectly and she purrs, adjusting herself until she straddles his lap and kisses him.

"_Kate_," he moans against her lips. She feels his words vibrate her tongue and she wants him even more, rubbing her waist down against his. "_Kate… _can we do stuff?" Kate nods needily with her mouth against his. Gerry lifts her up and puts her on her back, pulling her pants down for her. He settles against her on his side and she throws a leg over his clothed hip. He pulls the sheets back and hisses seeing her so spread open. His fingers run down her taut stomach and he assaults her clitoris with two fingers.

"Fuck," she whines against his ear, grabbing him hard. He only rubs for a few short moments before shoving two fingers into her soaking opening. "_Mmmm_, Gerry…" His eyes shut.

"_Please _keep saying my name like that."

"Gerry, fuck me harder."

"Nrgh, shit. Gyah that's SO. FUCKING. HOT. I can't-I _can't_!" Kate drops her head back, moving her hips with him. The noise is scary, sounding harsh and loud, but Kate holds his forearm to keep him there. Her face switches between total relaxation and absolute focus while her head tilts backwards on her fluffy pillow again and again and _again _before it feels so intoxicatingly good that Kate loses herself to it. Her wetness spreads all over his palm and he watches his hand going in and out. "This feels so good and I'm not even _really _in you yet." Kate smiles at him and kisses his chin that's close to her face.

"Go in me then." Gerry's heart thumps hard and he takes his hand out of her and stares at it while Kate gets up to pull out condoms and a wet wipe. _I wanna try it at least once. _He brings it up to his mouth and take a long lick from the thumb to the middle finger. "Fuck." Kate saw him do it and she nearly crushes the condom in her hand. She launches onto the bed and kisses him hard. He smiles into the kiss seeing her so riled up, and she starts gripping him through his thin sleeping shorts.

"Ffff_nnnn_." Gerry holds her biceps and keeps her kissing him while he moves his waist so she can pull off his pants and underwear. "_Nnnnnf!_" She tugs on his penis and his hips jerk up with her hand. She pulls back, watching his face while she pumps him, breathing hotly. "Kate let me—" She cuts him off with a kiss and pushes him to lay back. He looks at her nervously as she puts the condom on him.

"Let me take care of you today, ok?" Gerry's face changes to mild sadness, eyes becoming wet, and Kate feels her heart strain. "Don't." She talks as quietly as she can, moving so her eyes are close to his. He nods and rubs his nose.

_Sshf tft_

Kate straddles his waist and gives him no time before she presses his penis inside herself. She groans loudly, still not used to his size completely. Gerry moans and reflexively tries sitting up with his elbows pressed against the bed. Kate pushes him down again, keeping her hands on his strong chest and starting to move up and down with her hips.

"_Nnm_," Kate scratches from his chest down to his hip bones and digs her fingers into them. "_Mmm_. You feel so good." Gerry moans and jerks his hips up into her, making her breath hitch. "_Ungh, _God! Keep doing that." Gerry grabs her biceps again and slams into her, feeling her muscles tighten on him again and again. Gerry sits up without her permission and sucks on the skin of her breasts, sucking till the spots are blue. He snakes his arms around her back and hugs her against him. She stops her bouncing on his waist and hugs back tightly.

…..

His eyes starts getting wetter and he blinks it all away.

"I'm trying not to… you know." Kate nods, her chin pressing into his forehead. "Focusing on you is helping."

"Good." Kate presses her breasts into his clavicle and he ducks his head down to suck on a nipple. "Nrrrm, you got _really _good at that." Gerry smiles against her breasts but lets go quickly with a pop. He looks up at her, ears red.

"Do you think I could um…" his eye contact falters. "F-from the back." Gerry's hands slip down her sides.

"Alright," she says with excitement clear in her voice. Gerry looks up with surprise. "Do what you want to me then." She gets off of him easily and gets on her knees, spreading them and pressing a hand against the headboard. Gerry skittishly gets on his knees as well, with one hand on her backside and one hand rubbing his penis against her slit. The spot between her legs makes clicky noises and Gerry gets hot, moving his hips just a little. "You can be rough on me, baby." She guides him in and presses her hips back against him.

"Holy… shit." Gerry moves in and out and watches intensely, gripping her waist with both hands. She makes a stifled moan and he growls, aggressively rocking his hips into her and not letting up, pushing her hips against him with his hands. "_Fuck… fuck, hnnn_." Kate's hand skids down the glossy headboard and she tangles a hand in her hair, pressing her mouth against her forearm.

"_Mmmf. Hnn! _Hnn—_Gerry_." Being further spurred on by her moans he leans over her, feeling her plump backside and smooth shoulders rub against his stomach and chest. "_UNGH! _There. Yes!" Gerry breathes the scent of her hair in. _Peppermint. _He reaches with one hand to pinch her nipple and she whimpers, falling forward more.

"You really like being touched there right?" Kate nods tiredly, feeling his head continuously press up against her g-spot and send shivers down her spine. "Can you hold my weight?"

"Yea—_mmf!_" Gerry rests his chest flat against her, pounding her even harder, gritting his teeth. He uses both hands to knead and tug on her nipples. "_Oh my Godddd, _you're so _good_." Gerry chuckles against her shoulder.

"I-I'm _fff-feeling _really good too." Kate pushes herself up on her forearms, feeling her arm muscles stretch and strain. She starts slamming herself back into him and Gerry moans loud against her ear. Her body shakes from the feeling of his breath, and her wet hair dangles over her face. Gerry gets off her and grabs her hips, pounding away again. Kate can't form words anymore and she feels like she's right on the excruciatingly pleasurable verge of finishing. Gerry holds onto one of her shoulders and pushes her into him harder.

"Unng!" She moans louder and louder, unable to control it even a little bit. Her mouth is hanging open and her eyes are shut tight. "_Mmmg—GERRY!_" Her whole body tenses and her insides spasm against Gerry, making him fall forward onto her back, and he moans against her skin, letting his warm seed flood into the condom. He moves slightly, easing himself out of her and pulling out. Kate groans and falls onto her back, stretching her legs out and alternating between which leg goes over the other and turning her hips to get a side stretch. Gerry takes off the condom, making an icky face when he pulls it off and his cum is sticking thickly to his penis. Kate grabs a wipe she left on her bedside table and cleans him off. He looks down at her messy hair and red cheeks, enjoying touching her face. He sits down next to her and she wraps him in her arms. His head rests on her breasts.

….

No matter what he tries to do, the flashes of Chewie's last breaths won't go away. His eyelids feels like an LED screen replaying the moment again and again. _Sniff. _He buries his face between Kate's breasts and holds back a harsh cry caught in his neck. Kate hugs him and rubs his back.

"You can cry. No one's in here but me." Gerry lets a tear leak from his eye, but one tear becomes two, two become four, and after a while, quiet sobs wracked his frame.

"I—HICK—miss Chewie." Kate's eyes water at his words and she kisses the top of his head.

"I know." She holds him until he falls asleep.


	7. I'm Tryna Move On

**10:01 AM**

Gerry types, "Cracker."

….

"Oreo?" Annie writes. Gerry smirks.

"I was tryna insult you. I didn't know what else to say so… lol."

"Oh. Uh. Fuck you," Annie responds.

"...Nice. Dick cheese." Gerry huffs up a laugh.

"Disgusting," Annie types with a gagging emoji.

"I read that in a porn comic one time," he types. Gerry smiles at his bright screen in the dark bedroom he's struggling to get out of. Kate left the door cracked and said she had a last minute thing to do. It's been a hour since. He hasn't looked at Annie's response to the news from yesterday still, and it has yet to stop burning in the back of his mind. "Are you still gonna be having us over today?"

"Idk," he types.

"Whatever makes you feel good. We can do it some other time." Gerry clicks his phone off and pushes himself out of the bed. Lucky jumps him when he opens the bedroom door, and he pets her passively. His body's heavy and his mind is blank. He goes to the bathroom and splashes water on his sticky eyes before peeing and changing his clothes.

_Ding! _Gerry washes his hands with the foamy vanilla soap and clicks his phone.

"Come downstairs please." It was from Kate. Gerry brushes his teeth and does as she says. Every step feels heavy on his ankles that crack again and again before he pushes the doors of the apartment open. He looks at Kate who's leaning on a motorcycle he hasn't seen her with before. "Happy Birthday," she says with a warm smile. Gerry's eyes widen and he sprints toward the bike she gets off of. With tense fingers, he touches all over the bike.

"No fucking way…." Gerry smiles from ear to ear and he drools on the windshield. "Kate no _way_!" Kate nods confidently and Gerry pulls her into a bone-crushing hug that cracks her back.

"Glad you _lIKe iT_," she chokes, arms stuck against her sides. He lets go and crouches down next to the bike, staring at the custom aluminum rims and burgundy and white paint job. It's definitely a sport model and Gerry hugs the bike like a little boy with a fuzzy stuffed bunny. Kate snickers and picks up the Supreme bag, handing it to him. He shoots up and digs in the bag with a child-like grin. When he pulls out the motorcycle jacket that matches his bike almost exactly, he whines in his throat.

"Dude this is—" Gerry looks between the bike and his jacket, "This is _amazing! _I—I don't even… _THANK YOU._" He drops his jacket on the seat of the bike and grabs Kate, dipping her backwards and kissing her. They both giggle into the kiss and her one leg kicks out in front of her. He brings her back up and gets a flash of light burning his eyes.

_CLICK CLICK CLICK! _

A couple paparazzi are getting close on the two who take a step back.

"_Honestly_! Do you mind?" Kate shouts. The men don't respect her at all and continue shooting.

"Dude what are you even taking pictures of right now?" Gerry asks this with agitation threatening to make him lash out any minute.

"Proof that Kate Bishop is a cougar."

"What?!" Kate pulls away from Gerry and whips her shoe at one of the guy's cameras.

"HEY!" Gerry smirks at the guy's flamboyant gestures, waving his hands at Kate like a frazzled cat before flipping his bangs from his eyes. "Let's get outta here. Be expecting to see that headline hit soon." Kate huffs and rolls her eyes. The guys stroll away and their attention is caught by a flock of fluffy white dogs prancing down the busy sidewalk, leashes wrapped around a woman's legs. Kate picks her slip-on up and shoves her foot inside.

"Anyway…" Kate shakes her head and pushes the stupidity of what just happened into the back of her mind. "Let's go take this bike out, shall we?"

"Dude!" Gerry jumps excitedly and pumps his fist, completely forgetting about all of his worries for one subtle moment. Kate smiles warmly at the ground, stuffing her hands into her thin jacket pockets. "Gah, _Kate!_ I gotta go show Annie!" Gerry hops on his bike and hugs the handles for good measure. Kate straddles the back and hands him the keys with a little purple arrow keychain on the ring. Gerry holds them tightly in his hands and presses them against his chest over his heart. "You got no idea how much this means to me." Kate nods gently and rubs his arm.

"I have every idea," she says quietly. She points at the ignition and Gerry hums happily, shoving his key in at last. _VRRRM! _Gerry drops his head forward and sings excitedly into the breezy air that smells like greasy pizza. He shoots off toward Annie's place, mouth dry from the air that's slipping between his teeth due to the big smile he wears during the whole ride.

After fifteen minutes of smooth riding in New York's stop and go traffic, he comes to a stop in the fairly clean back alley of the Parker's apartment building not far from his own. Kate gets off and sighs aggravatedly. She pulls her phone camera out and flips it to face herself.

"My hair's a damn mess." Gerry helps her fix her bangs and ends with a pat on her shoulder.

"Looks good to me," he says simply, skipping in the direction of the back door. Kate sighs and mumbles to herself, _my hair's still sticking up in the back. Boys I swear. _"Come on!" Gerry hurriedly beckons her over. Kate scowls and walks after him.

"Oh geez… your Uncle is Spider-Man isn't he?"

"Yup." Gerry walks swiftly up the multiple flights of stairs that Kate hates to admit are wearing her out. _I'm old. Fuck, _she thinks grumpily. At the fifth landing, Gerry knocks on the door closest to the steps. Kate stands next to him, running her hands nervously up her goosebump-ridden arms. _Fake it Kate. Just act cool. No big deal. You've talked to Spider-Man before. And Annie's just a kid. It's fine. Stop being anxious you tool. _

_Crrrrk. _A bombshell of a woman appears behind the door and Kate watches in confusion as she snatches Gerry in her arms and hugs him tightly. Gerry holds back without saying a word and soon Spider-Man himself comes from behind the door and hugs MJ and Gerry at the same time. Gerry chuckles weakly.

….

"Should I join in?" Kate tries to joke. Peter lets go and recognition lights up his eyes.

"Oh! Hey man, you know him?" Peter questions Kate and points to Gerry with his thumb hitched over his shoulder. Gerry awkwardly clears his throat and MJ lets go, leaning against the doorframe with arms crossed. Kate can't help but feel that MJ is judging her with her nose pointing upward. _That lady has a serious case of resting bitch face. _

"Y-yeah. Kate's my um-she's my _girlfriend,_" Gerry squeaks. MJ nods slowly and Peter's eyes widen comically.

"Oh! Ok. That's… unexpected. Actually," Peter itches his chest through his wrinkled blue button up, "No it's not. Fate is funny. Of course you'd end up with a Hawkeye. Just like your Mom."

"Well I won't be an idiot and cheat on him like Clint did." Kate speaks sternly and Peter nods, scratching his neck.

"Right." Peter smiles wearily. _CRASH! _Breaking glass gets the attention of all four of them and MJ huffs.

"What did you break _now_, Annie?" _Ooof, even SOUNDS like a bitch, _Kate thinks.

"N-Nothing!" Comes a faint voice from inside. Gerry grins and reaches out for Kate's hand, leading her inside and ignoring the skeptical looks MJ and Peter are giving the two. Kate bites her tongue.

"Hey buddy?" Gerry shouts down the narrow hallway leading to Annie's bedroom. "I got Kate here I wanna introduce you two."

"Oh sick!" Annie yells from her room. "Just gimme a sec, ok?" Gerry nods, acting like she can see that. Peter and MJ walk into the small closed off kitchen, silently watching Gerry and Kate who are waiting on the loveseat against the large window in the teal living room.

"...This is weird," Peter whispers, eyes peeking over the door frame.

"She seems old for him," MJ whispers back.

"Yeah," Peter looks at her in a surprised stupor, "She is. I've known her for a long time man." MJ sighs and puts on a new cup of coffee for herself.

"It's up to him I suppose." MJ looks back at Peter who's continuing his spying. "It's not our job to judge, our job is too make Gerry feel comfortable in this house. And if he brings a girlfriend here, she gets the same damn treatment." Peter slowly moves back from the door and scratches his head.

"You're right," he admits. He sucks in a breath before stepping out of the kitchen. "Hey Kate," she looks at him, "You like ice cream? Gerry _loves _it." His nephew smiles at him and nudges Kate.

"Hey if you don't eat it, I will." Kate grins and folds her hands on her lap.

"I'm always up for ice cream," Kate says. Peter smiles and gives her a thumbs up, scooting back into the kitchen.

_TFT TFT TFT TFT_

"Hi!" Annie says, peeking her head around the corner just like her Dad. Gerry nods his head at her.

"Wazzzzzuuuuup?" Gerry checks to see if his Aunt and Uncle are looking before flipping Annie off. Annie chuckles devilishly.

"Yer lucky I got stuff in my hands right now."

"Why do I feel like you two are doing something bad?" MJ says from around the corner. Gerry and Annie chuckle again. She looks at Kate with slight uncertainty.

"Hi, I'm Annie." Kate bows her head at her just a bit before responding with,

"Hey. Heard lots about you."

"Same for you. He showed me lots of photoshopped nudes of you." Kate raises a brow and Gerry drops his head in his hands. A sharp gasp comes from the kitchen and Gerry assumes Peter is the one hushing MJ up. Annie chuckles and steps out from behind the wall holding a Spider-Man gift bag up with two hands and wearing loose black jeans with a tight pink v-neck shirt that accentuates the red of her hair.

"Dude how much did you get me? This is dumb. Don't get me stuffz." Peter and MJ walk out of the kitchen holding five bowls of ice cream.

"No such thing as too much," MJ comments with a pointed look at Gerry. "Annie come give him his things. Peter grab our gift too." MJ passes the two bowls she's holding to Kate and Gerry who both say quiet thank you's before digging in. Annie jumps on the couch, knocking MJ's arm roughly and flinging her big bag at Gerry who groans at the weight.

"_JEEEZ, _what's IN this thing?" Gerry tries to sneak a glance but MJ tsks at him and he obediently puts the bag down on the floor.

"Peter hurry! He's getting antsy." Peter scurries into the room and sets down a big box wrapped in extravagant pink sparkly paper on the small coffee table. The box is almost longer than the table. Gerry rubs his forehead.

"This is ridiculous! You guys know I don't wanna take stuff from ya." MJ waves it off and Peter sits between MJ and Annie who have their legs crossed in pretzels. Kate watches quietly in fascination. _I never had family like this, _she thinks in awe. MJ pulls out her oversized phone and snaps a picture of Gerry before he can protest. He gives her a bored look and she wags her finger at him.

"You only turn eighteen once sweetie." Annie snickers at the look Gerry gives her Mom.

"Open mine first!" Annie shouts. Gerry huffs and puts the bag between his legs, ripping away the useless white paper sitting on the top. He pauses.

"No way…" Gerry pulls out a master grade Evangelion model kit and nearly cries. "It's got LIGHTS! _LIGHTS!_" Gerry shakes it at Kate who nods obliviously. "This is too expensive man." Annie shakes her head.

"Screw the moneyz." Gerry gives her a disapproving look but pulls out the other thing inside.

"DUDEEEEEE!" Gerry jumps off the couch and shows off the nine inch statue of Hawkey herself that Gerry had pointed out every. Single. Time. He and Annie went to the comic store. "Ugh I love this statue man this is the best gift ever!" Kate looks at it fondly. _I wish my boobs were that big, _she thinks with a laugh.

"This was totally unrelated by the way," Annie says smoothly. "I didn't plan on you being here while he opened that. Must be weird."

"Nah," Kate shrugs. "I'm used to seeing myself on products."

"Heh," Peter has the curse of never being able to control his mouth. "Especially since you had all those Playboy covers huh?" _SLAP! _Peter groans and holds his shoulder that MJ just slapped.

"Why would you say that?" MJ says in disbelief. Peter stumbles and changes the subject by pushing the box on the table closer to Gerry with his foot. Gerry carefully tears the paper off and pulls the top off of the large box.

"...Wow," Gerry says quietly. He pulls the burgundy boots out first, they remind him of Doc Martens but without laces. He sets them down and MJ, Peter and Annie watch with small smiles. He slowly pulls out the mask that looks a lot like his Mom's old one when it comes to the eyes, but instead of having a place for her hair to be loose, it's covered, only leaving the nose down uncovered. Gerry swallows hard before pulling out the main piece; a body suit that has a tweed texture. The colors are red and blue, the same shade as Carol's costume. There's a long black spider on the chest, and the lining of the suit is yellow like his Mom's was back in the day. Gerry sits down and stares at it with his mouth hung open.

"We know you're unsure about the whole hero thing…" Annie starts.

"But if you did want to be a hero one day," MJ continues.

"Then I'd be honored to see you take up the mantle of Spider-Man for me." Peter finishes with a genuine smile and Kate can't help but smile too. Gerry nods firmly with a serious face.

"I'd be the one who's honored Uncle Pete." Gerry ducks his head, forcing his wet eyes to dry themselves. "You guys are awesome. Thank you so much. Ya got no idea how much this means to me." Annie sniffs and rubs her thigh. "This has been a crazy coupla days."

"It has," Annie says. It's clear that she's leading him on and hoping he'll talk about more. He doesn't.

"Hey guess what I got waiting downstairs to show ya?" Annie tilts her head. "Kate got me a bike."

"...For real?" Annie looks at Kate with surprise. Kate nods and Gerry stands up, carefully placing his new costume back in the box.

"You gotta take it on a ride with me. It'll be fun." Annie gets up and then shakes her head at the floor.

"Some other time. I think you should hang out with Kate today." Gerry questions her with his body language. "Next time," Annie insists.

"Yeah. Alright." Gerry picks up his gifts and he and Kate shovel the last bits of strawberry ice cream into their mouths before saying their goodbyes and heading to the door.

"Bye sweetheart," MJ says, giving him a sticky lipstick kiss that he hates. Peter pats him on the back. Annie waves at him and gives him a comforting smile.

"Happy Birthday buddy."

"Bye," Gerry and Kate say in unison before the door closes and they walk down the stairs side by side.

"I dunno how to get these home on a bike." Kate reaches for the big bag and holds it against herself as they sit down.

"Good thing you're close to home. You're gonna have to drive with only one hand."

"Yeah… home," Gerry says sadly. "M-maybe we can go somewhere else Kate I-" Kate cuts him off with a kiss.

"You need to see your parents on your Birthday." Gerry wrinkles his lip and shakes his head in defeat. The engine purrs and he drives them back to his place.

**11:32 AM**

Gerry sighs and puts his Donald Duck key in the door to his apartment. Him and Kate lugged the presents up each step as slowly as possible, yet he still feels heavy when he steps in, and Kate feels it too. There's a tense energy hanging over the place that Gerry can't stand. Gerry sniffs back tears when he's taking his shoes off and realizes Chewie won't brush against his leg like she always did. Kate hugs his back and Gerry stands stiffly. He doesn't call out to his parents, instead quietly leading Kate down the short hallway to his bedroom, dropping his presents in the messy corner of the room. Kate's eyes immediately fixate on the white stain on his computer desk chair.

"I don't wanna know…" she says with a groan.

"Marshmallows! I was eating smores," he defends tiredly. It seems to Kate like he's said this many times before and she eggs him on by shrugging as if she doesn't believe him. "...Whatever." He drops himself on the bed loudly and Kate jumps when Carol's voice cuts in behind her.

"Hey Birthday boy." Kate and Gerry blink twice before saying hello. Carol looks tired and overall unwell. Her hair seems unkempt and her clothes are wrinkled. Gerry definitely notices the pale bags under her puffy eyes. _She was crying. I've never seen her cry in my entire life,_ he thinks solemnly. "Anything you wanna do today?" Carol clears her throat at the end, and it's clear to Kate that she's trying really hard to make her voice seem lighter. Kate feels a weird itch she hasn't felt with Captain Marvel before, seeing as Carol was always a role model that seemed totally out of her reach. _I really wanna hug her but that seems… creepy, I guess. _Kate taps her fingers against her thighs and looks at Gerry expectantly.

"I don't wanna do anything," Gerry mumbles. Kate gets slightly aggravated by his behavior that she's reading as avoidant and distant. She pulls at Gerry's long sleeved shirt and he gets up.

"Come on Gerry. You can't sit here sulking on your Birthday." Gerry shrugs and Kate shakes his arm. "Gerry, at least _talk _to them," she whispers. He looks at Carol finally and he feels guilt burn the back of his neck. _She looks so fuckin' sad right now. _With Kate holding him, he feels a boost of confidence.

"I stopped by Annie's."

"Oh?" Carol questions, stuffing her hand into her back pocket.

"Yeah…" they all stand still before Gerry walks over to the box and neatly pulls out the suit. Carol's eyes widen and she stops herself from speaking, worried she'll say one thing and he'll do the opposite. "I wanna be Spider-Man, Ma." Carol nods proudly and momentarily forgets about the numbing sadness that's making her eyes ache.

"I'm glad. Just… don't do all the annoying joking and what not. Please?"

"Did I just hear my son say he wants to be a spider?" Jessica's accent is tainted by a grizzly tone she doesn't usually have. Gerry ignores it, knowing it's from a night of crying. "And what's wrong with the jokes, hmm?" Carol gives Jessica a dead look.

"They're tacky when Peter does them." Kate smirks at Carol's words.

"I'd have to agree with you Captain," Kate chimes in, bumping her hip into Gerry's playfully. She sees him lighten up and internally gives herself a high five.

"Are ya mad I'm not gonna be Captain Marvel?" Carol shakes her head and throws her arm loosely around Jessica, tugging her hair accidentally and getting slapped on the stomach for it.

"Dick," Carol groans. "No I'm not mad," she says. "I want _you _to be what you wanna be. I'm just glad you wanna do _anything._" Gerry smiles slightly and looks down at his new costume with fondness.

"We should all go out and pick a fight. I wanna team up with Hawkeye and… I guess my parents." Gerry mumbles. "That sounds lame now that I think about it.

"Aw come on. We aren't cool enough for you, love?" Gerry groans and tosses his suit into the box.

"Forget it."

"No that sounds like a great idea," Kate says and perks up. "I'll get ready quick." She looks at Carol and Jessica with an excited bounce in her step. "Let's show this newbie how it's done."

**Twenty Minutes Later**

"I'm tired!" Gerry cries, zapping at the hoard of alien spiders that look straight out of _Starship Troopers. _

"Yeah," Kate agrees with a scowl, "This is fucking gross." _THWIPP! _She shoots two arrows at once, striking the spider's thick brown furry body. _PSFFFT. _It pops like a balloon and fatty yellow liquid spills out. Kate holds back a gag. She's back to back with Gerry in the center of Times Square where they just happened to run into a bunch of weird alien eggs that were as tall as semi-trucks.

"This mask is making my nose itch but I'm kinda busy right now," Gerry complains. _ZAPP! ZAPP! _Cars are abandoned in the street and Carol and Jessica are already inside the big shiny metal ship that's looking over the theatre district. Three spiders step on each other's backs and start hissing at Gerry. "Well that's fuckin' creepy." _DOOSH! _They jump in the air and Gerry pushes Kate out the way before the three land on her.

"Shit!" Kate yells. Thes rest of the spiders start to quicky _sto sto sto sto _their way toward Gerry while he's down. His zaps start fading and the spider bodies are blocking his light. "Shit. Shit. Shit." She quickly changes arrows to explosive ones and shoots two at a time.

_SCRRAAAAW! _Kate notices Jessica in the pilot's hatch fighting some sort of lanky alien while also worriedly looking out at her son who's being attacked.

"Alright. Screw this." Kate uses a regular arrow to shoot the nearest gas tank. The car makes a scary hum and Kate ducks for cover. _BOOOOOOSH! _Scraps of the car blow up and the spiders get torn apart, yellow juice staining everything. Kate peeks past the yellow car she's hiding behind and she sprints toward Gerry who hasn't moved from his spot on the ground, now covered in fur and other spider bits. She drops quickly to her knees and scouts the area before pulling him into an upright position. "Baby? You with me?" _Please be ok. PLEASE. _Gerry weakly pulls his mask off, his eyes and nose are completely clean while his mouth and jaw are covered in dirt and grime. His costume doesn't have any rips but he's thinking dry cleaning isn't gonna fix this spider stench. "We aren't kissing for at least a day."

_FWOOOOOSH! _Kate and Gerry watch Jessica fling herself out the pilot window and Carol's holding up the ship from the bottom before it falls on top of a building.

"Ugh she's _so cooooool_," Kate says dreamily. Gerry _tsks _and shrugs.

"She's alright," Gerry mumbles. Jessica backflips off of the ship and waves at Carol to take it away. Gerry's got no idea where that'd be but he doesn't question it. Jessica slowly walks forward, saying ew as she avoids each piece of spider that have small flames burning brightly on their furs. She sighs and drops down on her knees next to Gerry and Kate. Kate is combing and dusting away dirt from his body with a warm smile on her face she isn't consciously realizing. Jessica has to look twice to be sure she isn't seeing things. She looks at Kate skeptically.

"Those are some love struck eyes if I've ever seen any." Gerry and Kate embarrassedly look at each other then look away. "Oh come now. Don't be shy little geese."

"Gross. Who calls people geese?" Kate asks with her sass back in tackt.

"Me, wanker." Kate chuckles in response to Jessica who's narrowing her eyes. Jessica turns to Gerry and kisses his hair. "Good job."

"Eh. I got tackled by spiders. That was lame as shit."

"Well it's a long road to becoming Spider-Man." _FWWWWOOSH! _Kate and Gerry cough when the gust of air following Carol knocks them back.

"Ugh!" Kate furiously rubs her eyes. "My hair got in my mouth!" _SPLT! _

"Yeah Ma, take it down a notch."

"Yes yes," Carol sighs, holding her hand out to Jessica and lifting her up, pulling her against her side. "Nice job in there," she quietly says to Jessica.

"Thanks I know," Jessica says smugly and flips her hair over her shoulder with one hand. Carol sighs loudly.

"Nevermind. You sucked." Jessica slaps her on the arm. " You did pretty good too Gerry. Thanks for helping him out Kate. Those were some smooth arrows you shot." Kate nods, flattered that Captain Marvel even noticed her. She fiddles with her arrows on her back in their holsters.

"...Thanks." Gerry doesn't even realize he's been smiling like a fool at Kate for minutes straight. Jessica huffs and snaps her fingers at him.

"Love," his heads whips toward her, "You're drooling." Gerry rubs his face and groans when Carol laughs at him. Kate tickles his side and he squirms.

"Ohhhh," Kate has a devilish look on her face. "Ticklish?" She uses two hands to attack him and he flails, careful not to hit her.

"NO! I dunno what yer talkin' about." He bites his tongue and covers his mouth with a gloved hand. Carol grabs his arm and restrains him.

"Get him, Kate!"

"No! MOM! HELP!" Jessica shakes her head no and watches with a smirk. Gerry thrashes in Carol's arms knowing she can take it, and his muscles spasm against Kate's frantic tickles. "_THIS SUCKS!_" Kate lets up once tears pop up in the corners of his eyes and he scurries out of the way. He huffs and puffs until Kate slaps him with an arrow head.

"Pouty pants," Kate says with a grin.

"He gets it from her." Carol points to Jessica who looks slightly offended.

"I do _not _pout." Jessica says… pouting. Carol and Kate grin at each other.

"Hey. Since Uncle Pete's still Spider-Man right now… I've come up with my code-name." Gerry makes jazz hands. "Spider-Bitch." Jessica sighs loudly.

"He gets that hideous sense of humor from you," Jessica says, hugging Carol's arm.

"It was pretty funny," Carol chuckles.

"It wasn't," Kate says flatly.


	8. It's Over, But It Isn't

**3:42 PM**

The four of them were gathered around a red and white checkered table in Gerry's favorite Italian restaurant. Gerry insisted on changing out of his costume while the other three were totally indifferent. The place was bustling with loud laughter and quiet jazz music that Kate and Gerry hummed along too. They were all shoveling food into their mouths at record speed with no signs of stopping. Gerry coughed abruptly into his vanilla Coke when he felt Kate's foot brush his shin from across the table and Kate smirks into her cup of coffee.

"Stop playing footsie under the table," Jessica says with a spoonful of alfredo in her mouth.

"Stop talking with your mouth full," Carol says, setting down her glass. Jessica gives Carol an annoyed look and Carol and Gerry laugh.

"You two, I swear," Jessica shakes her head, continuing to talk with a full mouth that taints her accent, "Always ganging up on me like the buggers you are." Gerry speaks up and wipes the corner of his mouth.

"Can't help it. Yer too easy to get on the nerves of." Jessica mumbles disgruntled nothings into her napkin and continues eating. Kate takes a minute to just look at each of the people in front of her. _Jessica; never thought there'd be a day I'd be sitting next to her without starting some sort of argument. Captain-fucking-Marvel; Did more cool shit than I can ever even think of. I dunno why she's even breathing the same air as me right now. Gerry… _Kate sets her fork down and her face softens without her even noticing. _It's moving WAY faster than I'd ever have expected but… I'm not mad about it. _She watches Carol's older face smile while her eyes drift back and forth between Gerry and Jessica, and Kate's heart warms up. _So this is what having a family feels like, huh? Between these three and his other family… seems like there's LOTS of love to go around. I just, _Kate's brow tenses and her foot taps the wood floor, _I just hope I can fit in with them all. _Gerry takes notice of the internal debate Kate seems to be having and he stealthily rolls up the paper of his Ma's straw into a tight little ball. _FWOOP! _

"AH," Kate jerks back, "You wanna mess with me, huh? I'm really good at this you know?" Kate wipes away the ball that's caught in her silky smooth jet black hair. She steals Jessica's straw paper.

"Do it!" Gerry taunts. Jessica sighs and continues eating while Carol watches with amusement. Gerry starts waving his hands like he's in a cheap Karate movie from the dollar bin and Kate easily flicks her pinky finger. "_OW!_" He yelps, holding his eye.

"What's hurting more? Your eyeball or your ego?"

"Yeah yeah," he huffs. The four of them get distracted by a loud crash in the kitchen. A furious chef starts shouting vulgarities at the waitresses. "I'm gonna kick his ass," Gerry threatens, teeth clenching.

"I've got this," Kate says with an air of ease following her as she walks toward the racket. As soon as she steps on the black and white tiles of the kitchen, a flying tomato can shatters at her feet and she has to contain herself when it almost stains her Hawkeye suit. "Hi. You guys wanna settle the hell down back here?"

"Oh shove one up yer-"

"-Ah ah ah," Kate wags her finger and smiles at the five waitresses with tears brimming their eyes. "I think not."

**Two Minutes Later**

Kate sat down at the table again and the owner followed closely behind. The owner wrings his sweaty hands together and bows his head over and over while saying,

"S-sorry Ms. Bishop! Heh. W-We will cover your bill a-and whatever desserts you want! Heh! P-please keep your arrows where we can see them, heh."

"We'll see," Kate says with a smug look, sipping the last bits of her coffee.

"O-oh no." The owners scurries back into the kitchen like a scrawny rat looking for food. Jessica snickers and knocks her knuckles against the table.

"Told him you'd shove an arrow through his urethra like that _one _time, didn't you?" Kate nods and chuckles.

"'Course I did."

"Did-did you really do that?" Carol asks skittishly, tightly keeping her legs together and imaging a clear picture of an arrow going through a guy's penis.

"Of course she did," Jessica says and smiles at Kate who's smiling back.

"UGH!" Gerry winces and crosses his legs. "That's horrifying."

"It was Clint," Kate says easily.

"I didn't blame her," Jessica says, looking up at the ceiling and thinking fondly on the memory. "That was the one good time you and I ever had."

"Pfft," Kate raises her glass of coffee. "Only cuz you were totally drunk on that gross ass cotton candy chocolate."

"...Didn't remember that part," Jessica lies, clicking her tongue. "Remember when you ate five bags of Hot Cheetos in a row and I had to hold your hair back while you barfed for an hour?"

"...Didn't remember that part," Kate mocks, sticking her middle finger at Jessica who whacks Kate's hand away.

"I didn't realize we're a coupla girls gossiping on our beds with our legs kicking up behind us," Carol jokes.

"That sounds like a great time," Gerry croaks. "Hey at least they're playing nice right now." Gerry shrugs and leans back on the two weak legs of his chair. _Crrrrr RCK! _The table shakes and everyone in the restaurant stares at Gerry who's now on the floor. "Aiiiiii!" Kate and Carol laugh hysterically into their hands, shoulders shaking hard. Gerry comes up with a scorned look on his face and blows his hair away from his eyes. "Fuck you all."

"Now now," Jessica says calmly, holding back her laughter, "This is why you don't do that, love."

"No shit," Gerry whines, angrily picking up the chair parts and stomping his way through the crowd of people staring him down to get to the front desk person.

"I can't!" Kate says, still laughing with a red face. "Why is it that people in pain is like the _FUNNIEST _thing _EVER_?" Carol _pews _and rubs her painful smile lines away.

"Kinda glad you think so too," Carol snorts then checks over her shoulder. "Uh, hey." Carol's face grows serious and she watches to see if Gerry's coming back. She leans in toward the table a bit more. "Look I'm ok with you and him being a thing, but don't get me wrong. I'm not gonna ignore it if I see you doing something shady." Kate swallows her spit and nods slowly. She looks at Jessica whose gaze is piercing through her and Kate holds her ground, straightening out her back. "Heroes talk, I'm gonna know if you're screwing around on him."

"I would never," Kate insists, offense slightly coating her brows.

"And we'd know if Marvel Boy made a trip over to your place," Jessica says through her teeth. Kate lets out a hard breath through her nose and picks at the plastic tablecloth. Kate shuts her eyes.

"He doesn't want to commit to me anyway," Kate admits, opening her eyes again. "I'm sick of people who can't just be consistent in my life."

"Totally understand that," Jessica whispers.

"Look, I've already gotten the weird looks standing next to him. I know that's coming and I know he doesn't get that yet, but honestly? I don't care." Kate smiles at her hand that's resting flat against the table. "He's… too good. I can't ruin it like I ruined…" Kate shrugs shortly, "I dunno. Take your pick."

"Kinda…" Carol starts slowly, "Kinda seems like you're _really _into him, Kate." Kate looks up in surprise. Carol's giving her an unassuming look that doesn't make Kate feel like she's being talked down to for once. She's nervous she doesn't know quite what Carol's insinuating but she decides to speak up at last.

"I… definitely lo-well I," Kate stutters and frustratedly hits her thigh with her hand. _God these words are so fucking hard to say. _"Fuck me," Kate hisses. "I love him. I do." _Oh my God I said that out loud. OhmyGodohmyfuckingGod! _Her chest spasms and she rubs it out with shaking fingers. She feels a sudden heat creep up her back and it almost burns. Kate can't look at Carol or Jessica anymore because she feels like her eyes are fogging up, and the chair scrapes loudly against the floor as she stands up suddenly, nearly tripping over herself. "I-I gotta g-_MMF!_" her vision clears and Gerry's face is right against hers, kissing her hard. He slowly pulls back with an equally stunned expression on his face.

"Did I just hear ya right?" Gerry clears his throat and his green eyes look glossy. Kate stiffens up, suddenly incredibly aware of all the eyes on them right now. _I-I can't say it. It's not-I can't. _The music turns off and like a flood, the loud chattering around them makes her skittish, jerking away from Gerry. _I fucked up. _The rejection on his face is too much and she holds her hand over her heart, turning away.

"I-I gotta get some air." Kate walks out with purpose, brushing people roughly on the way out. Gerry's knees lock up.

"Dammit!" He shouts, shaking his fist at the floor.

"GAHD DAMMET!" comes a loud male voice from the table next to them. "CAN YOUZ GUYS JUST GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE ALREADY?!" Gerry turns to him and uses his pheromones. The guy shrinks away and holds up his hands.

"Fuck off," Gerry spits.

"Hey," Carol reaches to Gerry who avoids her and runs outside. "Well this is dramatic."

"Hawkeyes usually are," Jessica says with a sigh.

"So are spiders," Carol retorts, standing up and holding Jessica's hand. "Let's not forget your early 2000's phase of the white tank top and all that." Jessica rolls her eyes.

"Anyway… let's go find our son."

_BEEEEEEEEP! HONKKK! FWWWWWWSH! _Gerry frantically whips his head back and forth, squinting into the distance to see any last trace of Kate. He spots her two blocks down and jumps from building to building until he lands right in front of her.

"Hey. Come on. Don't just walk away," he pleads, holding her arms loosely. A group of people _tsk _at them for standing in the middle of the sidewalk so Gerry nudges her into an alley that, for once, smells like candy instead of rotting meat and rat feces. Kate leans against the old brown brick and runs her hand up her forearm. "Please Kate," he says softly, holding the side of her soft face in his hand and making her face him. "_Please _just talk to me." Kate bites her lip and shudders from her confusing thoughts.

"...I want to just tell you so many things, but it's _so _hard for me to just open up."

"How come?"

"I haven't been treated all that great up to this point in my life. Like it sounds so cliche and stupid, but seriously, I feel like everyone I've l-loved has left me hanging."

"I won't," he says firmly. Kate parts her lips and Gerry holds her arms tighter. "I _won't_," he repeats. _Let him in. Stop feeling guilty. Just say it. _Kate feels hot in the face, and her heart is constricting like someone's got it caught in a rat trap, but something inside Kate just breaks. She grabs his shirt and pulls his mouth against hers, kissing him wildly. He can hardly catch up with her.

"Ngh," she moans against his open mouth and sneaks her tongue in. They both start feeling hot for totally different reasons and they separate with a shove. _Pant. Pant. Pant. _"I'm so in love with you," she says between breaths. "I thought it was too late for me to fall in love. Every second I'm with you my heart races. Every second we're apart it… it aches," she says with a laugh. _I hate this tacky romance stuff. But… maybe it's popular for a reason, _Kate thinks. "Gerry, holy _fuck _do I love you. I love you so much." Gerry smiles with his teeth and pulls her in for a bone crushing hug. Kate hugs back just as hard.

"I love you too," he says with ease.

**The Next Month, 9:32 PM on a Friday**

Gerry huffs and puffs his way up the stairs to his apartment, peeling off his sticky apron someone spilled Mountain Dew on at the beginning of his shift downstairs at Taco Bell. He balls the apron up in his fists and shoves his key in the door mumbling curses at everyone he came into contact with today. _DFF. _He kicks the door open and the frown on his face evens out.

"Jessica just let me _winnnnnnn_!" Kate collapses on the table, throwing her Spider-man Uno cards behind her and they scatter all over the floor. Gerry finally smiles for once today and kicks his beat-up Vans off, dropping his apron next to the door.

"Not my fault you play Uno so poorly," Jessica says, playing up her celebratory toast of her success by chugging Coke.

"So this is what ya guys do when I'm gone? Play games for kids?"

"_Wowww_," Kate and Jessica say in unison, giving him eerily similar pouty faces. Gerry shivers. _I don't like how much they act alike these days. It's fuckin' weird. I don't wanna nut thinking about my Mom! YYYERGH! _Gerry shivers again. Jessica pulls her leg from underneath her butt and crosses her legs, patting the center of the couch for Gerry to come sit.

"Uh, not now Mom." Gerry itches his throat that's getting some light blonde stubble on it. _Crap I gotta shave. _Gerry's groin screams at him and he shoves his hands into his pockets. He smiles nervously at Kate. "H-hey can you come to my room with me. I uh, I got _stuff _to show ya, _heh_." _Wow do I suck at being lowkey. _Kate clicks her tongue and gets up fast, already walking down the hall. Gerry starts following until-

"_Ah, _Gerry _Gerry _Gerry." Jessica shakes her head at him from the couch and leans against the backrest with her chin. "I better not hear a _thing. _I will positively DIE if I do." Gerry hops up and down and looks at his socks that have a hole in them.

"N-No! We're not like… doing stuff."

"_Riiiight,_" Jessica says slowly. She huffs and clicks the TV, turning it on and putting the volume higher than normal. "Hurry up." Gerry laughs against the back of his hand and beelines it to his room, pushing the door open hard.

"Holy-" Gerry freezes at the doorway, and his jaw nearly touches the floor. Kate's wearing only a smile, sitting with her legs crossed on the bed. Only a thin sheet is covering up her breasts and some of her stomach.

"Better close your mouth before some flies get in there." Gerry shuts his mouth and his teeth clank. He kicks the door closed and rips his shirt over his head while also peeling his socks off with one foot that's hoping closer to her. Kate snickers and holds up a purple condom between two manicured fingers.

"Hnnnn. _I'm dying!_" Gerry says raspily, hitting his knee on the side of the bed and tripping into it. _THUNK! _"OW!" He holds his head that just smacked into the wall and undoes his pants.

"And with the grace of a ballerina, he has arrived."

"Snark snark snark." Gerry kicks off his pants and is only in his tight black boxers that have Snoopy in a bomber jacket on one side. Just as Kate purrs and Gerry leans her back on his bed, a loud tap against his window shakes their concentration. They look up and immediately notice the silhouette of someone standing on the fire escape.

"Hey buddy?! I gotta tell you a thing." Gerry sighs loudly and gives Kate a sad look. She nods understandingly, sitting up and getting her clothes back on.

"Nooooo," he cries against his pillow.

"Your sister needs you babe. Mindblowing sex can wait. Family can't." Kate tugs her shirt over her head and pulls up her pants. "Speaking of family…" Kate cracks her knuckles. "Jessica and I have to battle once again in the friendship cracking game of Uno." Gerry sighs and gets his pants back on. Kate opens his bedroom door and blows him a kiss. "See you later baby." Gerry whines into the air and angrily pulls the string of his blinds down hard. _ZIPPPP! _

"Ah!" Annie covers her eyes, "The stank face is too much!" Gerry sighs and unlocks his window and Annie jumps on his bed with her dirty shoes making Gerry nearly pop a vein just _thinking _about all the NYC germs now squirming around on his sheets. "Gee where's your shirt man?"

"Hmm lemme think," Gerry puts his finger up to his lips before shouting, "ON THE FLOOR WHERE KATE'S CLOTHES WERE SUPPOSED TO BE WHILE I JIZZED ALL OVER THE PLACE!" Annie laughs against her hand and sits down on his bed in her Spiderling outfit.

"Whoops."

"Uh-huh," Gerry grunts with a glare at Annie. He takes the thin purple t-shirt Kate gave him recently and puts it on lazily. "So what's the news you _just gottttttaaaa _tell me?" Annie pulls at her curls with one hand and rubs her knee with the other.

"So I met a girl. Maybe. Sort of." Annie laughs awkwardly. "I just kinda… _saw _her. She didn't look at me, b-but _I saw HER _you see." Gerry grins, losing the annoyed facade, and he sits next to Annie on the bed.

"Do you know her at all?"

"Well, I saw her shifting between universes. So… I don't know who she is for sure. But… _DAMN _was she pretty." _I can't stop thinking about that peek I got of her face under that costume and hood. She was in an alley and no one was looking, I was blessed to have been eating my Doritos on that ledge on 96th at that exact moment. _Annie breathes in and shuts her eyes at the memory. "Blonde and with short hair," Annie gives Gerry a thumbs up, "Hot, dude." Gerry smirks and pats Annie's shoulder.

"I'm gonna have to meet her and sniff things out first. She's gonna have to earn you, ya know? Or else I'll have to kick her ass." Gerry finishes and squishes Annie's nose. She swats him away and kicks his shin.

"Stop, you jerky… animal?" Annie huffs in defeat, knowing that was the worst joke she probably ever let slip. Gerry looks at her, bored. "We can't all be as cool as youuu," Annie says holding her hands up and mocking him with her tone.

"You wish you were though," Gerry jokes, knocking his knuckles against her elbow.

"I sure fuckin' do," Annie whines.

….

She shifts her weight and folds her hands in her lap. _I don't know how to say this. But I'm gonna say it anyway. _

"You know… even if I do end up seeing someone. You're still my big brother. You come first." Gerry tsks and waves his hand at her.

"Nah. I'm just me. If anyone comes first, it should be yourself." Annie shakes her head, unsatisfied in some way that she doesn't quite understand yet. "Yer like my sister, ya know? I wanna see you happy. And… maybe a girl will help, but I'm thinkin' ya gotta be happy with number _one _before you start focusing on a number _two._" Annie nods appreciatively. They turn toward each other like they're about to hug, but they instead fist bump and stand up at the same second.

"Hey stop copying me," Annie argues.

"_Pleaseeee. _You're the one copyin' ME!" Annie and him chuckle into the cool fall air that's flowing through the window she left slightly open. Gerry shivers and Annie takes that as a cue to go. She steps over his bed this time and crouches on the window sill.

"Hey big bro?" Gerry looks up at her dark brown eyes. "I love ya."

"Y-you too, Annie." _Shpp. THWIP! _With a smile, he watches her sling her way through the beautifully lit streets of Upper Manhattan. Her silhouette fades and he sits down on his bed again, head resting in his hand. _Between Annie, my Aunt n' Uncle, my parents, and most of all, Kate… life really turned around for me. _Gerry looks at his own fresh Spider costume hanging in his closet and he grins.

**Five Minutes Later**

"WOOOOOO—"

"HOOOOO!" Gerry finishes for Annie. They're smiling so wide that their mouths are dry from the late October wind that's pushing it's way down their throats. Gerry quickly caught up with Annie and now they're swinging together in their costumes, side by side, just like always. Gerry notices a streak of yellow light blow over the water separating New York from Jersey. _Hey Ma, _he thinks fondly. _I hope whatever you're doing out there really made someone's day. One day, I hope to be just like ya._ Gerry smiles somehow wider.

_That's right. Maybe not all days will be amazing. Maybe some days will really tear me down. But with the people I call family… man, I never have to feel alone. That's for damn sure. _

**END. **

I've been scared to post this last chapter. Partly because I dislike it, but mostly because I dislike how this phase of writing that meant so much to me is now over for a while. I'm back in school, and all I do is draw my art. I don't play games much anymore, or watch many anime, or listen to music for hours anymore. I'm never sure which "phase" will come around again. Writing taught me a lot this summer. It taught me how to express my feelings and ideas with clearer pictures. Looking at this whole trilogy, I realized how much I've grown compared to how I felt about romance or life in general from just a year ago. So then I got to thinking that maybe taking a break from writing is good. I'll break away from the cliches more and more until I create something different than I'm capable of now. So I thank you for being here now, and maybe I'll see you next time.


End file.
